Do the Anaheim Ducks Have the Nashville Predators Right Where They Want Them?

Given the way their season started — and ended — the Anaheim Ducks may have the Nashville Predators right where they want them.

Heading into their Game 4 matchup tonight in the Music City, down 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, the Ducks won’t panic. After all, this was a team that was 1-9 and 9-17 and seemingly headed nowhere except towards firing head coach Bruce Boudreau.

But things turned around in a hurry. The Ducks realized the pieces are still in places for a title run, and got their act together. The 1-2 punch of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf garners most of the headlines, but in this young postseason it’s been Andrew Cogliano leading the way with three points. And in Anaheim’s Game 3 victory, it was Jamie McGinn, Chris Stewart, and Rickard Rakell contributing goals.

All of this isn’t to say the Ducks will rally from losing the first two games at home to win this series. The Predators are a scrappy team that took two of three meetings in the regular season. But wouldn’t it just be fitting if the Ducks, after rallying from a miserable start and then claiming the Pacific Division title on the season’s final day, do rally to win this series? It might just signify that this team doesn’t want to be denied the Stanley Cup.

A loss tonight in Game 4 would be damaging, no doubt. But a win would just be part of an ongoing fairytale.