ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Playoff wins contain mini-victories within them, and for the Nashville Predators on Friday night, that included Ryan Johansen's top unit taking on the NHL's top shutdown line and faring just well, thank you very much.
Ryan Kesler's trio with Andrew Cogliano and Jakob Silfverberg of the Anaheim Ducks was tops in the league this season at putting on 200-foot clinics. When James Neal scored just 35 seconds into Game 1 against the Kesler line, it set the tone for Johansen's unit, which also includes Calle Jarnkrok, that it wasn't going to be made invisible on this night.
"We were going in, our line, expecting to be matched up against them," Johansen, who assisted on the opening goal, said after the 3-2 win Friday night at Honda Center.
"He's obviously a well-known, really good checking two-way forward," Johansen added, referring to Kesler. "I thought it was very important for us to use our speed and size and skill as much as we could tonight to try to get any edge on them. To get an early goal like that was great for our confidence. It's going to be a big challenge, though, playing against that line for the rest of the series if that's the case."
Given that Kesler also scored 48 seconds into the second period -- each line got a goal on the night -- perhaps we call this one a draw.
"Other than the first shift, I thought that matchup was good," said Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. "We didn't get the opportunities that we've been getting from that line as normal. Neal got a couple of chances in the third period when we had to open it up after they got a goal. Other than that, I thought they scored one, and we scored one, it was OK."
If we all agree the matchup was a draw, it's a result I'm sure the Preds would take every night, especially on the road in Anaheim, where they don't have last line change. Some coaches get lost trying to avoid this kind of matchup and end up not playing their top players enough because they're too busy trying to hide them from a line like Kesler's.
On this night, full marks to Preds head coach Peter Laviolette for letting his big boys prove themselves.
"Everyone uses their players differently: Some people do it based on matchups, some people do it based on zones, some people do a combination of both," said Laviolette. "Some people get their players on and off the ice. I've done it all different ways. It was tough. There were a couple of icings where we got away from him, we were able to change up quick and get Johansen away from Kesler, but for the most part they stuck to it pretty good all night."
Neal, for one, was particularly noticeable on this night, leading both teams with a whopping nine shots on goal. He was a threat all night long.
"For us, we just want to be in the offensive zone getting looks and I think we did that," said Neal. "[Johansen] was all over the puck all night. He was making great plays. I like the way his game was. He gave me some great chances. I like the way our line played the first game."
There's somewhat of a chip on the collective shoulders of these 96-point Predators. It did not go unnoticed how few people picked their team to win this series over the Pacific Division-champion Ducks.
"We were a little disappointed that some of the analysts and stuff weren't giving us any credit," said Johansen. "But that's what it is. We're just excited to have the opportunity to prove ourselves here and playing for the Cup.
"No better way to start than stealing a win in their building."
Except the Predators didn't steal Game 1, they were full value for the victory.
If the Ducks didn't already know, the pesky Preds are going to be a tough out.