Ducks rally to defeat the Nashville Predators

NASHVILLE —  Adam Henrique scored with 3:51 remaining to lead the Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Radko Gudas had a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, assist and a fighting major, and Cam Fowler also scored for Anaheim, which has won five consecutive road games, with four come-from-behind victories. John Gibson made 29 saves.

The Ducks became the first team in NHL history to record six third-period comeback wins through 15 games in a season.

“We don’t want to be down goals and then have to chase games, but we seem to be confident when we are down,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “I think the attitude and the mentality is kind of a winners’ mentality.”

Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi scored and Juuse Saros made 17 saves for the reeling Predators, losers of four straight and six of their last seven.

“It’s frustrating because we’re obviously falling behind,” Josi said. “We need some wins quick here. You can’t get too far behind.”

With time winding down in the third, Urho Vaakanainen sent a slap shot from the left point toward the Nashville net that deflected off Henrique and by Saros. The goal initially was credited to Vaakanainen but later changed. It would have been the first career goal for Vaakanainen, playing in his 79th NHL game. He also assisted on Gudas’ game-tying goal.

“I saw there was a little bit of space so I tried to go hard and high,” Vaakanainen said. “I tried to shoot to score.”

Forsberg scored the game’s first goal at 1:03 of the second period and Josi doubled the Nashville lead at 14:28 of the second with a slap shot from the top of the left circle on a power play.

Prior to Josi’s tally, the Ducks had killed off 20 straight power plays.

Fowler beat Saros with a wrist shot from the right circle at 17:28 of the second. Mason McTavish assisted on Fowler’s goal, extending his point streak to three games, and he has reached the score sheet in 10 of his last 11.

“Pretty much every goal was a lack of coverage, mistakes in our end,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “I thought besides that, I thought we were pretty airtight.”

Gudas tied it at 4:11 of the third from the slot, scoring his third of the season. He scored two goals in 72 games last season.

Gudas also fought Nashville’s Jeremy Lauzon midway through the second.

“Good night for me, I’ll take it,” Gudas said.