NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) - Teemu Selanne scored the only shootout goal and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Tuesday to move into a position for a postseason berth.
Anaheim climbed over Nashville into the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot with its fourth consecutive victory.
The Predators have lost three straight, and trail Anaheim by one point in the standings. Both teams have nine games left.
After the first three players for both teams were denied on their shootout attempts, Selanne skated in on goaltender Pekka Rinne and lifted a backhander just under the crossbar.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere then stopped Nashville’s Radek Bonk to seal the win for the Ducks.
Selanne also helped Anaheim grab a 1-0 lead at 17:38 of the second period. He carried the puck into the Nashville zone along the right side before faking a shot to freeze Rinne. He then passed to Drew Miller, who moved to the low slot before beating Rinne with a wrister to the stick side.
Miller’s goal was his third in 18 games this season and second in his last three. The rookie has spent most of the season with Iowa of the American Hockey League.
Shea Weber tied it at 1 with a power-play goal at 4:12 of the third. David Legwand had the puck behind the Anaheim net, and found Weber at the right faceoff dot.
Weber became the first Nashville defenseman to score 20 goals in a season. His nine power-play goals lead the team.
Giguere finished with 31 saves. Rinne had 18 stops.
Notes:@ Bonk returned to the Nashville lineup after missing the last 12 games with an upper body injury. … Selanne has 41 points in 35 career games against Nashville. … Three of Anaheim’s last four wins have come in overtime or a shootout.
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