Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) stops a shot by Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) as center Isac Lundestrom (21) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros misses the puck for a Ducks goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn (2) intercepts a pass intended for Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) with Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) defending during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Ducks center Trevor Zegras (11) takes the puck past Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L’Heureux (68) and center Fedor Svechkov (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Nashville Predators center Gustav Nyquist, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Ducks left wing Alex Killorn (17) takes the puck past Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L’Heureux (68) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Show Caption1 of 6Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) stops a shot by Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) as center Isac Lundestrom (21) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Expand ANAHEIM — For a second straight game, the Ducks got goals from three separate lines and multipoint performances out of four different skaters, all en route to a 5-2 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night at Honda Center. They’ve won a modest two straight games, but by a convincing aggregate score of 10-3, following Thursday’s 5-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nashville had won a season-high five consecutive games entering the evening. Mason McTavish netted a brace for the second straight game, including a power-play marker. Jansen Harkins had a goal and an assist in his first multipoint game since 2022, equalling the production of Trevor Zegras. Pavel Mintyukov also tallied and Brett Leason chipped in two assists. John Gibson made nine of 10 saves before exiting the game with an upper-body injury after the first period. Lukáš Dostál stopped 32 shots in his stead to earn the win. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly were the spare forwards in Nashville’s 11-7 alignment, and each attacker scored a goal with both tallies being set up by Filip Forsberg. Juuse Saros repelled 30 pucks. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, whom the Ducks also pursued over the summer, combined for no points and a minus-four rating. For the Ducks, it was another night of balanced scoring, but one fueled by the ongoing resurgence of a motivated McTavish and a healthy Zegras. “Successful teams, their best players are their best players, night in and night out, and I think the last two games have shown that. (McTavish) has been unreal,” Harkins said. Although Ducks coach Greg Cronin likened the match with the underachieving but overaggressive Predators to a 1980s Battle of Alberta –– the two teams played at a high tempo with no shortage of shots and outnumbered breaks — by the time the third period rolled around, the hosts had the visitors beyond arm’s length. The Ducks were mostly content to protect their three-goal lead, apart from chasing an elusive empty-netter during the final three minutes. In the middle frame, they saw their advantage evaporate early only to pile on three unanswered scores. McTavish notched his second goal of the evening and his fifth in three games at the 14:20 mark, on the power play. He uncorked a one-timer from the right circle and, after the Ducks recovered the puck, another from just above the goal line for his 11th goal of 2024-25. McTavish now has eight career two-goal efforts, but no hat tricks. “It’s nice to see them go in for him. We’ve been calling him ironsides because he’s been hitting a lot of posts and crossbars,” Zegras said. “We’re going to get him the third one, it’s coming, I feel it.” That built on two tallies 62 seconds apart, at 10:46 and 11:48. Zegras recovered a shot attempt at the left-wing wall and then stayed in quiet ice as the play reversed to the right side. He glided into Drew Helleson’s rebound, finding the puck near the left dot and popping it past Saros for his fifth goal of the year. “When you see everybody scoring goals, I guess it just rubs off on you,” Zegras said. Harkins tallied for the second time this season, also by recovering a shot attempt to extend possession before finishing off a rebound. Nashville had pulled even for a second time 5:07 into the second stanza. O’Reilly created one rebound off his forehand and then swiped home another off his backhand to breathe life into the Preds briefly. “We definitely didn’t deserve it. We got away from our identity,” O’Reilly said. The Ducks came out flying and secured a lead before surrendering an equalizer and then reclaiming their edge with five seconds remaining in the first period. As the horn was set to sound, McTavish deposited his third goal in four periods. Zegras picked off Roman Josi’s clearing attempt and fluidly flicked a cross-ice pass for Alex Killorn, who spotted McTavish blowing past his defender, Adam Wilsby, to the net for a diving redirection. For Cronin, the play illustrated what Zegras can do when utilizing his hockey sense on both sides of the puck. “He reloaded on the backcheck and got his stick on (the puck). That could have gone the other direction and been an odd-man rush against,” Cronin said. “He gets a stick on it and he’s got that unique ability to see the ice so he sends it over to (Killorn) for a two-pass one-timer for (McTavish).” A challenging save by Gibson and a courageous block from captain Radko Gudas had helped set the scene for that late go-ahead goal, but Gudas and partner Jackson LaCombe were also on for the Predators’ only goal of the period. Despite having an 11-5 shot disadvantage, Nashville knotted the score after LaCombe’s pinch and Gudas’ wide position at the offensive blue line led to an outnumbered attack finished with a rising backhand by Nyquist. Related Articles Anaheim Ducks | Ducks wrap up homestand thankful for Zegras’ return Anaheim Ducks | McTavish, Killorn star as Ducks bury Penguins to end skid Anaheim Ducks | Ducks aim to ‘keep battling’ as Penguins come to town Anaheim Ducks | Ducks acquire Justin Bailey from Sharks for Pavol Regenda Anaheim Ducks | Ducks get Trevor Zegras back but lose to Panthers again The Ducks had earned the game’s first goal from an ostensibly innocuous play and an effective pinch by Mintyukov. As Leason and Harkins toiled diligently on the forecheck, Mintyukov snuck into the left circle for a blast that got through Saros as Harkins pressured for a follow-up. Mintyukov was credited with his fourth goal of the season. “Teams are so good, they play so hard, especially against our top guys. We can’t rely on them every night to carry the load, we’ve got to be there to chip in,” said Harkins, whose fourth line contributed two goals and matched up intermittently against Nashville’s top trio on a night when the Ducks No. 1 line was held scoreless. On deck, the Ducks will hit the road for a double dip that’ll take them to Seattle on Tuesday and Calgary on Thursday.