Ducks 3, Edmonton 2.
The Ducks' lineup looked different, and younger, in Edmonton than it has all season. In the end, a few familiar faces helped salvage a win at the end of a make-or-break road trip that has mostly served to break the Ducks' playoff hopes.
Corey Perry scored twice on the power play, George Parros netted his
third goal of the season and the Ducks' penalty-kill unit turned in an
outstanding performance against the Edmonton Oilers.
Parros scored an unusually pretty goal for an enforcer at 8:18 of the first period, but Gilbert Brule's long-distance slapshot tied the game at 1 at 5:52 of the second.
Perry batted in the first of his two power-play markers with the Ducks skating 5-on-3 at 12:30 of the third period. Anaheim was still skating 5-on-4 just 1:35 later when Perry wristed in his 26th goal of the season, a third-chance effort which proved to be the game-winner.
The Ducks had to survive a scary final minute during which back-to-back penalties gave the Oilers a 6-on-3 power play after Jeff Deslauriers was pulled for an extra attacker. They converted on a Marc Pouliot goal with 20 seconds left to make it 3-2.
But the foursome of Saku Koivu, Kyle Chipchura, Steve Eminger and Scott Niedermayer did not allow Edmonton to fire a shot over the final 20 seconds. The Ducks allowed only one goal in seven man-advantage chances to the Oilers, owners of the league's 18th-best power play. Chipchura and Troy Bodie also nearly scored short-handed goals on Deslauriers.
Curtis McElhinney stopped 34 of 36 in his first start as a Duck. Five days after signing his first NHL contract, Nick Bonino played 13:39 in his debut. Skating alongside Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan - and earning 2:46 of power-play time - the 21-year-old center was held without a point but won eight of his 14 faceoff draws, an area of weakness for Anaheim all season. Ryan Getzlaf was held out of the game due to a high ankle sprain.
Teemu Selanne contributed two assists and will return to Honda Center on Monday with 600 career goals.
Todd Marchant was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, leaving Niedermayer and Perry as the only Ducks players to appear in all 74 games. Ryan Carter took over third-line center duties alongside Matt Beleskey and Bodie. Brendan Mikkelson also made his first appearance since being recalled from AHL Toronto, and was paired with veteran Aaron Ward on defense.
Parros scored an unusually pretty goal for an enforcer at 8:18 of the first period, but Gilbert Brule's long-distance slapshot tied the game at 1 at 5:52 of the second.
Perry batted in the first of his two power-play markers with the Ducks skating 5-on-3 at 12:30 of the third period. Anaheim was still skating 5-on-4 just 1:35 later when Perry wristed in his 26th goal of the season, a third-chance effort which proved to be the game-winner.
The Ducks had to survive a scary final minute during which back-to-back penalties gave the Oilers a 6-on-3 power play after Jeff Deslauriers was pulled for an extra attacker. They converted on a Marc Pouliot goal with 20 seconds left to make it 3-2.
But the foursome of Saku Koivu, Kyle Chipchura, Steve Eminger and Scott Niedermayer did not allow Edmonton to fire a shot over the final 20 seconds. The Ducks allowed only one goal in seven man-advantage chances to the Oilers, owners of the league's 18th-best power play. Chipchura and Troy Bodie also nearly scored short-handed goals on Deslauriers.
Curtis McElhinney stopped 34 of 36 in his first start as a Duck. Five days after signing his first NHL contract, Nick Bonino played 13:39 in his debut. Skating alongside Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan - and earning 2:46 of power-play time - the 21-year-old center was held without a point but won eight of his 14 faceoff draws, an area of weakness for Anaheim all season. Ryan Getzlaf was held out of the game due to a high ankle sprain.
Teemu Selanne contributed two assists and will return to Honda Center on Monday with 600 career goals.
Todd Marchant was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, leaving Niedermayer and Perry as the only Ducks players to appear in all 74 games. Ryan Carter took over third-line center duties alongside Matt Beleskey and Bodie. Brendan Mikkelson also made his first appearance since being recalled from AHL Toronto, and was paired with veteran Aaron Ward on defense.
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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