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A day after defense dominated the Eastern Conference finals opener, the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators had a shootout of a Game 1 in the West, and for only the second time in their past six games, the Preds did not come out victorious.

Capitalizing on an uncharacteristically shaky outing from Pekka Rinne in Nashville's net, the Ducks rode Ryan Getzlaf's chippy leadership and goals from five different players to a 5-3 victory Sunday, evening their series at 1 and forcing Nashville to seek a rebound at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators, the postseason darlings and models of offensive balance, wasted no time in Game 2 and scored a pair of goals within the first nine minutes.

But a laser from Anaheim's Sami Vatanen cut Nashville's lead in half on a late first-period power play and began a night's worth of back-and-forth from the two contenders.

The Ducks, in fact, wiped out two deficits -- 2-0 and 3-2 -- during Game 2.

Some clutch saves from John Gibson not only signified a rebound for the Anaheim goalie but ensured the Ducks' resilient offensive efforts wouldn't go to waste. The Preds finished 0 for 3 on power plays and, despite reclaiming a lead in the second period and getting more big plays from James Neal and Filip Forsberg, were left scrambling at the close of Game 2, forced to fend off yet another crunch-time push from the Ducks.

Now, with the series headed to Nashville, where Music City has roared alongside the Preds' surge through the playoffs, Rinne figures to play a vital role in leading the team's blue line against Anaheim. After a noticeable slip Sunday, the postseason gem could be the X-factor against the Ducks' balanced attack.