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Boudreau says this was the Ducks’ toughest loss yet

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The Predators survived a furious effort from the Ducks in the final period of Game 7 to maintain the early lead they had built and advance to the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Anaheim Ducks fought their way to a division title during the same season in which people were calling for Bruce Boudreau’s head.

The Nashville Predators won the first two games of this series in Anaheim, yet the Ducks didn’t dissolve. Instead, they won three straight games to take a 3-2 series lead.

Anaheim could have gone into the fetal position when the Ducks went down 2-0 in the first period in Game 7; instead, they forced a frantic push in an attempt to tie things up.

One viewpoint is to say that the Ducks went down fighting ... but none of it really matters to plenty of other people after they fell 2-1 in Game 7.

To many, the Ducks “choked” again. They blew another Game 7 at home and fell short after fostering Stanley Cup expectations.

And the Ducks admit that this might have been the deepest cut of them all.

It likely doesn’t make it any better that they got oh-so-close to winning.

However the Ducks handle the questions about Bruce Boudreau’s future, this is a letdown that will sting for a long time.

Ultimately, the Ducks failed to close out the Predators with two chances, bringing back bad memories of their 2015 series loss to the Chicago Blackhawks ... and far too many other bitter pills they’ve had to swallow.

Is this the end of an era? Maybe, maybe not ... but this rendition of the Ducks likely never felt lower to end a season.