Tuesday, April 01, 2014
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Robidas' OT Goal Caps Ducks' Huge Rally Vs. Jets

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[April 01, 2014]  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Defenseman Stephane Robidas couldn't have scripted a better ending.

Robidas scored 16 seconds into overtime, completing the Anaheim Ducks' rally from a 4-0 deficit to a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night at Honda Center.

It was the largest comeback in franchise history for the Ducks (49-18-8). For the Jets (33-33-10), it was a bitter defeat that all but ended their bid for the postseason.

"I know I'm not here to score goals, but it's always nice to be able to chip in," said the 37-year-old Robidas, who scored his first goal with the Ducks since being obtained in an early-March trade with the Dallas Stars. "To be able to get the win I think was the most important thing for us."

Anaheim closed within a point of the St. Louis Blues for the top spot in the Western Conference.

"You're just awfully disappointed because you liked so much of what you saw and then to have it go away from you like that," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "It's just frustrating. It's tough to lose a game like that."

Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 33 shots, while Winnipeg netminder Ondrej Pavelec finished with 31 saves.


"When you always believe you can win, you're never out of the game," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I think that was what happened tonight."

Right winger Corey Perry, on a pass by center Ryan Getzlaf from behind the net, tied the score at 4 by bouncing a shot off Pavelec and into the net with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. The goal came after Anaheim pulled Andersen.

"You have to give them credit, but we didn't push quite as hard in the third," Jets defenseman Mark Stuart said. "You saw it with the shots. They pushed hard. They had over 20 shots in the third."

The Ducks launched 24 shots to only six for the Jets in the third period after being outshot 31-11 over the first two periods.

Two goals in the opening five minutes of the third sparked Anaheim, cutting Winnipeg's lead to a one before Perry forced overtime.

Rookie defenseman Hampus Lindholm pulled Anaheim to within 4-3 by rebounding a miss from center Daniel Winnik and converting at 4:16 of the third.

That goal came on the heels of a power-play tally by Getzlaf, who fielded a pass from left winger Patrick Maroon through traffic around the Jets' net and scored his 31st goal of the season with 3:06 gone in the third.

The Jets started aggressively, scoring twice in the opening period and dominating the Ducks for two periods.

[to top of second column]

"It was really bad," Robidas said of his team's play in the first two periods. "We weren't happy with it."

Defenseman Jacob Trouba scored off a backhand pass from right winger Michael Frolik for a 1-0 Jets lead at 8:48 of the first.

Winnipeg made it 2-0 with 6:21 left in the first. Right winger Matt Halischuk put in a rebound following a shot by left winger Evander Kane that bounced off Andersen in front of the net.

Jets winger Blake Wheeler added a power-play goal 33 seconds into the second period, when he gathered a pass from winger Dustin Byfuglien and scored for a 3-0 advantage. It was Wheeler's team-high 27th goal.

The boos started raining down on the Ducks midway through the second period when defenseman Zach Redmond slipped a pass between two Ducks and connected with rushing left winger Eric Tangradi, who scored for a 4-0 lead at 10:54 of the second period.

Center Nick Bonino put Anaheim on the board, scoring his 20th goal of the season with 2:16 remaining in the second, cutting the margin to 4-1.

NOTES: D Stephane Robidas' game-winning goal was his first since he delivered one against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 9, 2012, when he was playing for the Dallas Stars. ... Retiring Anaheim RW Teemu Selanne faced the Jets for the final time. He started his career with the original Winnipeg franchise. ... Anaheim D Mark Fistric is expected to miss the final two games of the homestand with a lower body injury. He has been out since March 15. ... Winnipeg D Zach Redmond earned his first assist of the season on LW Eric Tangradi's second-period goal. Redmond, D Ben Chiarot and G Michael Hutchinson were recalled from the St. John's IceCaps of the AHL on Sunday. ... After their visit to Phoenix to face the Coyotes on Tuesday, the Jets return home to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. ... The Ducks have seven regular-season games remaining, four of them at home. They host the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and the Nashville Predators on Friday.

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