Key play: Ryan Getzlaf scored the deciding goal in a shootout and the Ducks rallied for a 4-3 victory Friday over the St. Louis Blues at the Honda Center. The Ducks erased a 3-1 second-period deficit and improved to 2-2 in shootouts this season.

Pivotal performer: Ducks center Ryan Kesler scored in the first and third periods, his seventh and eighth goals of the season. Kesler’s last multi-goal game was Dec. 5, 2014 against the Minnesota Wild. He has four goals in his last five games. Kesler was an assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick (see below).

Dropping the gloves: Kesler scored a takedown during a second-period fight with the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko objected to Kesler’s tough but legal check that leveled St. Louis center Jori Lehtera along the boards.

Quote, unquote: “Big,” Kesler said of rallying to win. “Going into the third we knew we had to buckle down and claw back and I thought we did a good job of that. It would be tough not getting that extra point, even it was going to be a shootout loss. I thought the guys battled hard and we deserved that extra point.”

Injury update: Ducks defenseman Simon Despres is close to returning to the ice, a team spokesman said. Despres has been sidelined since suffering a concussion in the Ducks’ loss Oct. 16 to the Colorado Avalanche. He sat out for the 36th game Friday. The Ducks expect to know more about Despres return to the ice Saturday.