NHL Playoffs 2017: Game 2 TV Schedule and Prediction for Predators vs. Ducks

The Nashville Predators have not been bashful about their playoff status.

They ended the regular season as the eighth playoff seed in the Western Conference, as they finished in fourth place in the Central Division. They were ultimately the No. 2 wild-card team in the Western Conference.

They were supposed to go away rather quickly in the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks, the conference's top seed.

Instead, the Preds started the series with back-to-back wins in Chicago and swept Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and the favored Blackhawks out of the playoffs.

The conference semifinal round started with another road victory, this time over the St. Louis Blues. The Preds went on to oust the Blues in six games.

Matchup	Series Standing	Date, Time (ET)	TV	Predicted Winner
Nashville at Anaheim	Nashville leads, 1-0	May 14, 7:30 p.m.	NBCSN	Anaheim

Nashville is playing in the Western Conference Final for the first time in team history. The Preds had to work hard in the series opener against the Anaheim Ducks, but they emerged with a 3-2 overtime victory to take a familiar 1-0 lead in the series.

The Preds had the best of the territorial play in the extra session. Midway through the first overtime, P.K. Subban faked his slap shot and passed to James Neal, who slapped the puck by John Gibson for the game-winning goal.

Neal did not find the back of the net against the Blackhawks, but he scored three goals in the next round. Defenseman Roman Josi said teammates have confidence in Neal's ability to come through when it matters most.

"I feel like he got a lot of chances, even in the first round, and he's a goal-scorer," Josi said, per Tim Campbell of NHL.com. "You know he's going to find the back of the net. He's got a great shot. I think he's been awesome for us. He's been playing really hard for us, playing really well."

Anaheim got off to somewhat of a slow start, and head coach Randy Carlyle said his team must do better in that area in Game 2 Sunday. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast by NBCSN.

"We were pretty inept in what we were doing and we were receiving the game," Carlyle said, per Lisa Dillman of NHL.com. "Our goaltender should get full credit for keeping us in the game."

There should not be any panic from the Ducks. After sweeping the Calgary Flames in the opening round, they fell behind Edmonton 2-0 at home in the conference semifinal before rallying for a seven-game victory.

"We have a confident group here," said defenseman Sami Vatanen, per Dillman. "We don't let the gas [pedal] off in what we want to do. We just keep doing the same things and we never start to hesitate in this locker room. We just keep going and we know we can come back."

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction

The Ducks showed their mettle in coming back from an overwhelming Game 6 loss at Edmonton to beat the Oilers in Game 7. They are not going to quake in their skates simply because they lost the first game at home.

However, the Preds are on a roll, and they are not going to settle for a split on the road before they go home to Nashville for Game 3.

This game is likely to be another tough, nasty and physical battle. It will be close for 60 minutes, and it would not be a shock if the fans in Anaheim were treated to another overtime game.

Whether it ends in regulation or goes past, look for the Ducks to come up with the close win and square the series.