Final: Ducks 6, Bruins 1.
The Ducks got revenge for a 6-0 loss in Boston late last season, handing the Bruins a 6-1 loss at home for their first win of the season.
Though outshot 34-30, the Ducks took advantage of their opportunities, getting two goals from Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne, and one each by Bobby Ryan and Evgeni Artyukhin.
After showing little in their opener, a 4-1 loss to San Jose, and improving slightly but losing in overtime Tuesday in Minnesota, Anaheim turned in its first complete effort of the season. Perry, Ryan and Joffrey Lupul (two assists) each saw action on the Ducks' penalty kill, which was a perfect 4-for-4.
That was the most unorthodox of Randy Carlyle's personnel moves Thursday. Lupul began the game on a third line with Todd Marchant and Evgeni Artyukhin, while Ryan Carter moved up to the second line at left wing, with Selanne and Saku Koivu. Carter -- who had about the only bad game in a Ducks uniform -- eventually switched places with Lupul.
Ryan, Perry and Ryan Getzlaf had their best game of the season, combining to take 16 of the Ducks' 30 shots. Ryan missed a pair of point-blank chances on Tim Thomas (24 saves) in the first period, before finally breaking through in the third by deflecting in Scott Niedermayer's shot from the point.
But the best performance belonged to Jonas Hiller, who might have gained some separation on Jean-Sebastien Giguere with a 33-save performance.
Niedermayer and James Wisniewski each had two assists.
About J.P.
J.P. Hoornstra has been covering the Anaheim Ducks since 2007. Eight months after the University of Wisconsin won its third NCAA hockey championship, he was born in a frigid Madison winter. He betrayed his blue-blooded beginnings by graduating from UCLA in 2003, and welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
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