So much for the concept of a “trap game.”
The rebuilding Edmonton Oilers banished any notions of upsetting the Ducks, who were coming off quality wins in Vancouver and Calgary, by sending a meager 12 shots toward Jonas Hiller — a new record for the fewest shots by an Anaheim opponent in a shutout win.
Bobby Ryan scored twice and Brandon McMillan and Teemu Selanne tallied goals as the Ducks completed a sweep of their four-game Northwest Division road trip. Their sixth straight road win is the longest active streak in the league and one shy of a franchise record.
Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf had a pair of assists, on both of Ryan’s goals. All of Anaheim’s top three lines figured into the scoring. Ryan’s second goal of the game, at 1:31 of the third period, chased Edmonton starter Devan Dubnyk (15 shots-11 saves).
The Washington Capitals pay a rare visit to Honda Center on Wednesday. By then, the Ducks could be playing for sole possession of first place in the division. Anaheim (32-21-4) and Dallas (31-19-6) both have 68 points, most in the Pacific, but Dallas currently holds the top spot by virtue of having played one fewer game. The Stars are in the midst of a 1-6 slump and visit Edmonton on Tuesday, when they will make up the game in hand.
A few more notes, courtesy of the Ducks’ PR staff:
The Ducks’ road trip sweep (Colorado/Vancouver/Calgary/Edmonton)
marked the third time in club history the team has won every game on a
road trip of four games or more. The previous two occasions: Oct.
21-27, 2008 (4-0-0 through Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Columbus) and Nov. 19-24, 1993 (4-0-0) through Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg).
It’s not often that the game-winning goal comes 34 seconds into the first period, but Selanne’s innocuous tip-in put him in elite company. He becomes the sixth player in NHL history to achieve the milestone,
joining Gordie Howe (121), Phil Esposito (118), Jaromir Jagr (112),
Brett Hull (110) and Brendan Shanahan (109).
The Ducks have now made 13 visits to the three Western Canada teams — Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. This was only the second time
the Ducks won all three, and the first time since the club’s
inaugural season (Nov. 19-22, 1993).
The six-game road win streak is the club’s longest since a six-game stretch
from March 19 to April 4, 2009.
