Decisive score: Nashville's Jerred Smithson scores the winning goal past Anaheim goalie Ray Emery in overtime of Game 5 on Friday night. The Predators beat the Ducks 4-3 and lead the first-round playoff series 3-2. AP PHOTO
Anaheim, calif. — The Nashville Predators have known nothing but heartbreak in their brief playoff history, and the Anaheim Ducks were only a few seconds away from adding to the pain as they nursed a lead in Game 5.
That's when captain Shea Weber scored on a slap shot that suggested these Predators might be different — and early in overtime, Jerred Smithson put Nashville into uncharted postseason territory.
Smithson scored 1:57 into overtime, and the Predators moved to the brink of winning a playoff series for the first time, stunning the Ducks 4-3 on Friday night to take a 3-2 series lead.
Weber tied it on a long slap shot with 35.3 seconds left for the Predators, who had never won an overtime playoff game, never won a Game 5 — never even won three games in a series — before their dramatic comeback.
"It's an amazing feeling to be one step closer," said Jordin Tootoo, whose second assist set up Smithson's one-timer past Ray Emery. "The playoffs are all about momentum swings, and we've done well with that throughout the year."
The Predators can close it out in Game 6 on Sunday in Nashville.
Defenseman Kevin Klein scored his first career playoff goal and Pekka Rinne made 23 saves for Nashville, which even managed to reverse its ugly fate in Game 5 against Chicago last season.
Most of the key veterans in the jubilant Predators dressing room remembered giving up the Blackhawks' tying goal with 13.6 seconds left in regulation before losing the game — and the series one game later.
"It's a different feeling than Game 5 last year," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "Last year, in Game 5, it was a devastating thing that happened to us. . . . This year, it's the polar opposite. I think we're mature enough to know there's a very good hockey team on the other side, and we're going to have to be absolutely at our best in Nashville."
Both teams scored two goals apiece in a thrilling third period, with Anaheim blowing two leads. Bobby Ryan scored a spectacular goal early in the third in his return from a two-game suspension, but Joel Ward tied it with 8:40 left in regulation.
Sabres 4, Flyers 3 (OT)
In Philadelphia, Tyler Ennis scored off a rebound 5:31 into overtime to give Buffalo a victory over the hosts and a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.
Mike Webber's shot hit Michael Leighton's pad, before Ennis swooped in from the right side and scored his second goal of the game.
The Sabres survived despite blowing a 3-0 lead, after Ennis, Thomas Vanek and Marc-Andre Gragnani had scored in the first period.
Ryan Miller made 36 saves.?James van Riemsdyk and Andrej Meszaros scored in the second period, before Danny Briere tied it for the Flyers at 3:36 of the third period.
"All I know, is I wanted to score the winner," Ennis said. "I just wanted to be the guy who ended it."
Philadelphia, the No. 2 seed in the East, is missing Jeff Carter and Chris Pronger and is on its third goalie of the series. The Flyers biggest problem could come on Sunday, when Buffalo is poised to send the defending Eastern Conference champions home for the offseason.
Staked to the early lead, it seemed over Philadelphia. Miller has two 1-0 victories in the series and appeared to again stump the Flyers. Not for long.
After van Riemsdyk and Meszaros scored in the second, Briere stuck it to his former team when his backhander off a behind-the-net feed from Mike Richards tied it 3-3.
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