The Anaheim Ducks capped off their regular season with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday, securing a spot in the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Troy Terry was the hero, drawing a high-sticking penalty on Nashville and scoring the go-ahead goal on the ensuing power play with 2:54 left in the game. The Ducks’ win came in the season finale for both teams.

Terry’s late power-play goal was just one highlight in an action-packed game. Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, Alex Killorn, and Tristan Luneau also found the back of the net for Anaheim. Mikael Granlund contributed three assists, while John Carlson added two. Goaltender Ville Husso made 17 saves to seal the win for the Ducks.

With the victory, Anaheim (43-33-6, 92 points) secured third place in the Pacific Division. Their playoff opponent will be the Edmonton Oilers, whom the Ducks will face in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The series will begin with Game 1 in Edmonton on Monday.

Steven Stamkos led the charge for Nashville (38-34-10, 86 points), scoring two goals and adding an assist. Filip Forsberg also tallied two goals, while Luke Evangelista and Ryan Ufko each registered two assists. Juuse Saros made 35 saves, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Predators from losing three of their last four games. Nashville had already been eliminated from postseason contention.

The game’s turning point came when Nashville forward Tyson Jost was called for a four-minute high-sticking penalty with 3:57 remaining. Terry capitalized on the power play, scoring the decisive goal off a rebound to give the Ducks a 5-4 lead.

Gauthier opened the scoring for Anaheim with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle, giving the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 1:36 of the first period. Stamkos answered for Nashville, tying the game with a wrist shot at 10:09.

Forsberg gave the Predators the lead at 15:55 of the first, redirecting the puck on a power play to make it 2-1. But Anaheim responded quickly, with LaCombe scoring his 10th goal of the season just 21 seconds before the first-period buzzer to tie it 2-2.

The Ducks regained the lead in the second period when Killorn scored on a one-timer from the right circle at 4:33. Forsberg answered with a snap shot from between the hashmarks to make it 3-3 at 14:37, marking his third 40-goal campaign. Stamkos then put Nashville ahead 4-3 with a power-play goal less than a minute later.

But Anaheim wasn’t done yet. Luneau, in his first game of the season after being recalled from San Diego of the AHL, scored the equalizer with a rebound at 4:17 of the second period, sending the game into the final frame tied at 4-4.

The Ducks will now prepare for their first playoff appearance in eight years, as they look to make a deep run starting with their matchup against the Oilers.

-Field Level Media/Reuters