Ducks’ John Manson lights up Predators’ Cody McLeod (Video)

Nashville Predators’ Cody McLeod had no idea what was coming when Anaheim Ducks’ Josh Manson came out of nowhere with a blindside hit.

In the second period of a scoreless game five, Josh Manson gave the home Anaheim Ducks fans a moment of excitement with a massive hit on Nashville Predators winger Cody McLeod.

Behind the Ducks goal, McLeod was skating towards the puck when he was blindsided by Manson. The 25-year-old was not penalized for the legal hit.

At the time of the hit, early in the second period, the two teams were barely separated in terms of chances. Each team had about a dozen. Later in the period, the Ducks would take the lead with a rebound goal from Chris Wagner. The goal was assisted by Brandon Montour and Jakob Silfverberg.

Manson had been largely quiet in the game before the hit. His only play of note was a shot on goal in his eight minutes of playing time.

Just before the Manson check, Kevin Bieksa drove his shoulder into the head of Austin Watson. That hit was not penalized either.

These hits come at an incredibly tense time in the series. The Ducks and Predators were tied at two games apiece coming into Saturday. The winner of the series secures their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.

There have been multiple skirmishes throughout the game. Cody McLeod, the subject of the Manson smash, got into it with Jared Boll against the glass.

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The entire series has been filled with stress. Before Game 5, Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks was fined $10,000 for “directing an inappropriate remark toward another on-ice participant,” according to the NHL.

The Ducks won Game 4 to tie the series in overtime, despite the Predators entering the final period with all of the momentum. This series has been so close that every moment matters. The hit by Manson surely fired up both the crowd and his teammates, which is important in a series of this magnitude.