2014 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 7 vs Ducks

Lore & Background

The 2014 series was a brutal, defensive war that showcased the Predators' trademark stinginess against the Ducks' high-powered offense. Nashville, led by goaltender Pekka Rinne, had clawed back from a 3-2 series deficit to force Game 7, winning a tense Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena. The final game was a nail-biter, with both teams trading goals in the first period before settling into a tense stalemate. The Ducks' Devante Smith-Pelly broke the deadlock in the third period, and despite a furious Predators push, Anaheim held on for a 2-1 win.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a nervous energy as the puck dropped. Nashville's penalty kill, a fortress all series, bent but didn't break early. Rinne, a wall of calm, turned aside wave after wave of Ducks attacks. The Predators struck first—Colin Wilson burying a rebound at 8:01, silencing the crowd—but Anaheim answered before the period ended, Nick Bonino tipping one past Rinne on a power play. The second period was a chess match, each shift a battle for inches, with both goalies standing tall. Then, in the third, a harmless-looking shot from the point deflected off Devante Smith-Pelly's skate and trickled through Rinne's pads at 9:28. The final minutes were a blur of desperation—shots blocked, bodies thrown, a last-ditch effort that fell just short. The horn sounded, and the Predators skated off, heads high, knowing they had left everything on the ice.

Reader's Guide

The occasion was Game 7 of the 2014 Western Conference Quarterfinals, a winner-take-all showdown between the Nashville Predators and the Anaheim Ducks. The Predators, known for their defensive system and goaltending, had pushed the series to the limit after falling behind 3-2. The game was a tight, low-scoring affair, with Nashville taking an early lead on Colin Wilson's goal before Anaheim tied it on a power play. The decisive moment came in the third period when Devante Smith-Pelly scored his first career playoff goal, a deflection that slipped past Pekka Rinne. Despite a furious late push—including a pulled goalie and a flurry of chances from Shea Weber and Mike Fisher—the Predators could not equalize. The match is remembered for its intensity, the stellar play of Rinne (who made 35 saves), and the heartbreak of coming so close to advancing. It remains a defining moment of the early 2010s Predators, showcasing their competitive spirit and the fine margins that separate victory from defeat in playoff hockey.

Did You Know?

• This was the first Game 7 the Predators had played since 2011, when they defeated the Anaheim Ducks in the first round.
• Pekka Rinne made 35 saves in the Game 7 loss, keeping Nashville in the game until the final moments.
• The Predators' goal in Game 7 was scored by Colin Wilson, tying the game at 1-1 in the first period.
• The Ducks' winning goal by Devante Smith-Pelly was his first career playoff goal.