The Nashville Predators celebrate after the game winning goal by James Neal against the Anaheim Ducks during overtime in game one of the Western Conference final at Honda Center on Friday.
Anaheim: James Neal scored the game-winner in overtime as the well-rested Nashville Predators sneaked past the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in overtime in the opening game of the Western Conference final.
Neal one-timed a shot through a maze of players as the Predators won game one on the road in their first appearance in franchise history in the NHL semi-finals.
Defenceman P.K. Subban faked a shot from the left point before sliding the puck over to Neal, who wasted no time blasting a slapshot that deflected off Anaheim forward Corey Perry into the net.
"We got it in their zone and were working it around. Subby (Subban) made a great fake and then got it over to me," said Neal of his fourth goal of the postseason.
Having vanquished some game seven demons by eliminating the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, the Ducks had just one day to recoup and get ready to play the Predators.
By contrast Nashville wrapped up their NHL quarter-final series early and came into game one of the semi-finals at the Honda Center arena after four days rest.
Austin Watson and Filip Forsberg scored goals for Nashville in regulation and Pekka Rinne, of Finland, made 27 saves.
Anaheim received goals from Sweden's Jakob Silfverberg and Hampus Lindholm in regulation and John Gibson stopped 43 Nashville shots with a defiant display.
Game two of the best-of-seven series is scheduled to be played at Honda Center on Sunday.
Anaheim took a 1-0 lead on Silfverberg's unassisted goal, his eighth of the playoffs, at 5:15 of the opening period.
Nashville tied the score 1-1 on Forsberg's third goal of the playoffs at 12:34 of the first.
American Watson scored early in the second to give the Predators their first lead of the game but then Anaheim defenseman Hampus Lindholm tied it 2-2 with a wrist shot from the left point that glanced off the post and in.
Neal is confident the Predators' journey through the post season prepared them well for the Ducks.
Neal said they knew going in that this would be a physical series so they tried to match Anaheim's toughness on Friday with their own.
