Nashville Predators give away two-goal lead, lose 3-2 to Anaheim Ducks

The Nashville Predators blew another multi-goal lead on Tuesday, allowing three straight Anaheim Ducks goals in the final 22 minutes, 32 seconds of game time to lose 3-2 at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville (5-10-0) has lost four games in a row and six of seven matchups. Urho Vaakanainen scored the game-winning goal at 16 minutes, 9 seconds of the third period on a dynamite shot creeping inside of the blue line.

Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi scored second period goals for the Predators in an entertaining second period that also included two fights and a game misconduct for Ducks forward Ross Johnston.

But the second period ended with an Anaheim flurry, with Cam Fowler beating Juuse Saros from the right faceoff dot at 17:28 of the period. Anaheim got third period goals from Radko Gudas and Vaakanainen to complete the comeback.

It's the second game in four days that the Predators have dropped a game at home when it had a two-goal lead. Nashville lost 7-5 to Arizona on Saturday after creating a two-goal lead early in the second period.

Recap Tuesday's game below:

Nashville Predators live score updates, highlights vs. Anaheim Ducks

Third period

Ducks go ahead on Urho Vaakanainen goal

Ducks defenseman Urho Vaakanainen beats Saros with an excellent shot from up top to give Anaheim the lead. Nashville once led 2-0. Ducks go-ahead goal at 16:09 of the third period.

Anaheim 3, Nashville 2

Ducks tie it up on Radko Gudas goal

Anaheim carries into the offensive zone rather easily, and Radko Gudas buries a shot from the middle of the ice. Way too easy to concede that goal.

Nashville 2, Anaheim 2

Second period

Cam Fowler goal gets Anaheim on the board

Frank Vatrano enters the offensive zone, skates behind the net and eventually finds Cam Fowler near the right dot. Fowler's shot deflects off of Marc Del Gaizo and beats Saros to his left for the goal.

Fowler's goal is at 17:28 of the second period. Nashville 2, Anaheim 1

Michael McCarron and Ross Johnston off for fighting

There's some juice into this game now. Michael McCarron wanted to tangle with Sam Carrick but gets Ross Johnston instead to drop the gloves. Not much into this tussle, other than some ruffled-up clothing.

Two Predators goals and two fights in a testy second period inside Bridgestone Arena.

Johnston shoves the observing Dante Fabbro after the fight, and Johnston gets a game misconduct.

Roman Josi power play goal puts Preds up 2-0

That's a familiar shot from Roman Josi on the power play, from the high-slot and with some steam to the top shelf. His third goal of the season at 14:28 of the second period. Ryan O'Reilly gets his second assist of the night.

Predators 2, Ducks 0

Radko Gudas, Jeremy Lauzon off for fighting

After Ducks forward Ryan Strome cross-checked Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to the ice, some words were traded by Lauzon and Strome Lauzon then dropped the gloves with Radko Gudas, with Lauzon taking Gudas down after some heavy shots were thrown. Strome gets an extra two minutes, putting the Predators on the power play at 12:50 of the second period.

This might not be over, as Gudas appeared to want to continue even after Lauzon took him down. Stay tuned.

Filip Forsberg bats puck into net to get the Predators on the board in the second period

Filip Forsberg bunts (flicks? bats? pushes?) a loose puck in the air just into the net to the left of Ducks goaltender John Gibson. Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler can't clear the fluttering puck before it crosses the goal line. Forsberg may have touched that puck twice before it went into the net. Excellent hand-eye coordination.

That goal comes 63 seconds into the second period. Predators 1, Ducks 0.

Scoreless after one period, but Predators encouraging

The Predators and Ducks are scoreless after one period, with Nashville leading 11-5 in shots on goal. Not a ton of good chances for either side. Anaheim's best chance may have been a shorthanded odd-man rush that Juuse Saros saved early in the period.

What channel is Predators vs. Ducks today?

• TV channel: None

• Stream: ESPN+ (nationally) and Hulu

Viewers can stream the game on ESPN+, as Tuesday's game is a part of ESPN's exclusive NHL regular season package. ESPN's subscription streaming service features more than 1,000 out-of-market games via NHL Power Play as well as exclusively-streamed games throughout the season.

STEP FORWARD: The improbable, unnoticed rise of Nashville Predators center Tommy Novak

Predators vs. Ducks start time

• Date: Tuesday, Nov. 14

• Time: 7 p.m. CT

The Predators face the Anaheim Ducks, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.

PROVE-IT SEASON: How does Nashville Predators center Philip Tomasino handle being a healthy scratch?

Predators vs. Ducks betting odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Nov. 14

• Puck line: Predators -1.5 at +125, Ducks +1.5 at -155

• Over/under: 6 goals

• Money line: Predators -185, Ducks +150

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY: Nashville Predators: The good, bad, ugly through first 12 games of season

Nashville Predators 2023-24 schedule

All games on Bally Sports South unless listed; All times Central

October

10: at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m., ESPN and ESPN+ — L, 5-3

12: vs. Seattle, 7 p.m. — W, 3-0

14: at Boston, 6 p.m. — L, 3-2

17: vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m. — L, 6-1

19: at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. — W, 4-1

21: vs. San Jose, 7 p.m. — W 5-1

24: vs. Vancouver, 8:15 p.m. — L 3-2

28: vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., Bally Sports South and NHL Network (nationally) — W 3-2 (OT)

31: at Vancouver, 9 p.m. — L 5-2

November

2: at Seattle, 9 p.m. — L 4-2

4: at Edmonton, 2 p.m., Bally Sports South and NHL Network (nationally) — W 5-2

7: at Calgary, 8 p.m. — L 4-2

9: at Winnipeg, 7 p.m. — L 6-3

11: vs. Arizona, 7 p.m. — L 7-5 (5-9-0)

14: vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

18: vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.

20: vs. Colorado, 7 p.m.

22: vs. Calgary, 8 p.m.

24: at St. Louis 2 p.m.

26: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

28: vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

30: at Washington, 6 p.m.

December

2: vs. N.Y. Rangers, 3:30 p.m.

3: at Buffalo, 6 p.m.

5: at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

7: vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

9: at Toronto, 6 p.m.

10: at Montreal, 6 p.m.

12: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

15: at Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

16: vs. Washington, 7 p.m.

19: vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m.

21: at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

23: vs. Dallas, 2 p.m.

27: vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.

29: at Detroit, 6 p.m.

30: at Washington, 6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators give away two-goal lead, lose 3-2 to Anaheim Ducks