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Ducks and Preds head to Music City tied at 1-1

Apr 17, 2011 - 3:22 PM (Sports Network) - After splitting the first two games in Anaheim, the Predators and Ducks will meet tonight for a pivotal Game 3 matchup at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

The fifth-seeded Predators posted a 4-1 victory in the series opener at Honda Center, but the host Ducks evened the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series with a 5-3 decision in Game 2.

Anaheim recorded Friday's victory thanks to a big night from the club's top offensive weapons. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry each had a goal and two assists to lead the way for the fourth-seeded Ducks. Bobby Ryan also scored twice while Teemu Selanne added his second goal of the series and 37th marker of his postseason career.

However, it wasn't all good news for Anaheim as Ryan was suspended two games by the NHL on Saturday for his actions in the previous night's contest. Ryan was docked for stomping on the skate of Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum late in Anaheim's victory.

"The actions by Ryan were both reckless and dangerous," said NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell. "While it was fortunate there was no injury to Blum on the play, the act of using your skate in this manner is unacceptable.

The 24-year-old Ryan, who posted 34 goals and 71 points this year, will miss today's tilt as well as Game 4.

Ducks goaltender Ray Emery got the start Friday in place of Dan Ellis, who was pulled in the third period of Wednesday's Game 1 after giving up four goals on 24 shots. Emery made 31 stops and will get the start tonight in Nashville.

Jonas Hiller is Anaheim's regular No. 1 goaltender, of course, but a continued bout with vertigo has limited him to just three starts since the beginning of February. Hiller has been skating, but there has been no indication one way or the other that he is going to be able to play in this series.

Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne, who made 27 stops in the Game 1 victory, was tagged for four goals on 27 shots on Friday.

Shea Weber had a goal and an assist while Patric Hornqvist and Joel Ward each scored for the Predators, who fell behind 2-0 in the first period and trailed by a 4-1 count after 40 minutes.

"We are going to have to make a few adjustments," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz. "There were a few things that we picked up. After the first period I thought we stabilized the game pretty good."

The Predators have never won a playoff series in their franchise's brief history, having been knocked out in the first round all five times they have made the postseason.

Though the Ducks and Predators both finished with 99 points in the regular season, Anaheim got the higher seed in this series because it had 43 non- shootout wins to Nashville's 38. It was the Preds, though, that got the best of the Ducks during the regular season, winning three of the four matchups. Nashville and Anaheim are meeting for the first time in the postseason.

The Predators, who will also host Game 4 on Wednesday, had an excellent 24-9-8 as the home team this season, while Anaheim was 21-17-3 on the road.