Trapped into submission everywhere outside Martin Brodeur’s breathing radius, the Ducks fell 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils.
The lone goal came from Corey Perry, who was standing in the crease behind Brodeur when the goalie lost the puck between his legs, and easily tapped in his 12th goal of the season at 2:25 of the second period. That goal tied the game at 1, but the Devils scored twice more in the period on a pair of breakaways, by David Clarkson and Zach Parise, the latter coming short-handed with 13 seconds left in the period.
Jonas Hiller stopped 22 of 25 for the Ducks, who were missing center Saku Koivu. Koivu was a last-minute scratch with a lower-body injury, and Erik Christensen took second-line center duties.
Brodeur stopped 31 of 32 and got plenty of help from a defense that held the Ducks to just eight shots and no goals on six power-play shifts.
Ryan Getzlaf got the secondary assist on Perry’s goal, extending his assist streak to eight games, which ties the franchise record shared by himself and Scott Niedermayer.
