Ducks Can’t Close the Gap

Quite simply, the problem with hockey leapfrog -- also known as the Mighty Ducks’ plight in the Western Conference -- is that there are so many teams in the way and so much ground to make up in the playoff race.

A three-game winning streak? Next.

Winning five of six games? Next.

The massive deficit facing the Ducks means that one week of good work can go for naught after one overtime period. Case in point: The Ducks vs. Nashville on Friday night.

A hard-working third period by the Ducks erased the Predators’ two-goal lead and pushed the game into overtime, and an equally diligent flurry early in the overtime made it seem as though the Ducks were on their way to their fourth consecutive victory.

Then, as it often happens, the game turned in a flash.

Nashville’s Scott Walker got in behind the Duck defense down low and had so much time he was able to shift from his backhand to his forehand side to flick the puck past goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere. It gave the Predators a 3-2 victory over the Ducks with 1:26 remaining in overtime before an announced crowd of 16,263 at the Arrowhead Pond.

For the Ducks, it was their eighth overtime loss this season. The game seemed something of a mini-playoff series and had the accompanying intensity.

Nashville, which got its other goals from newly acquired Steve Sullivan and David Legwand, was in eighth place in the Western Conference heading into the game, and the Ducks were in 12th, eight points out of a playoff spot.

The breakdown on the game-winner had the Ducks’ lamenting the lost opportunity.

“It’s not acceptable,” Duck captain Steve Rucchin said. “It’s four-on-four hockey, there’s no way a guy should be left open like that. We can’t afford to be giving Nashville a point.

“We’re definitely going to have to address the situation with not really playing good hockey the first two periods. Obviously, there’s a lot more negatives tonight than positives ... but there is a little bit of a silver lining that we were able to get a point.”

Sullivan has been sharp for Nashville, with four goals and two assists in two games since coming over from the Blackhawks earlier in the week. After the shots settled -- the teams combined for 72 shots on goal, the Ducks had 39 and the Predators 33 -- the Ducks remain eight points out of a playoff spot, treading water in the race.

Said Nashville goalie Tomas Vokoun: “This was a huge game for us. It’s a great confidence builder for our team to win like this.

“They [the Ducks] were starting a charge, and trying to catch us, and get into the playoffs. It’s got to be discouraging for them.”

The Ducks started well. They had the first five shots on goal, and Nashville did not have its first shot until 6:15 into the game.

At the other end, before Walker’s game-winner, the Ducks were looking better in overtime, creating scoring opportunities for Sergei Fedorov and Petr Sykora.

A good start and finish does not cut it with the kind of situation the Ducks are facing.

Both the Ducks’ goals came at even strength, seconds after the respective power plays expired. They were 0 for 3 on the power play.

In fact, fans were voicing their displeasure during a lackluster power play, booing the production of only one shot during the man advantage midway through the third period.

It ended, and four seconds later the game was tied. Duck defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski scored his fifth of the season, with a shot from the left circle, as the puck went under the leg of Vokoun, at 10:48.

Almost the same thing happened on the Ducks’ first goal, which came six seconds after their power play expired, early in the third period. Duck center Samuel Pahlsson muscled past Predator winger Adam Hall and scored from the middle of the left circle even though Vokoun got a piece of it, at 1:33.

*

Nashville did not escape unscathed. Left wing Scott Hartnell looked disoriented after taking a hard hit in the corner from Duck defenseman Vishnevski at 11:00 in the second period. He suffered a concussion and did not return.