Tuesday, December 23, 2014
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Kesler lifts Ducks past Sharks with OT goal

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[December 23, 2014]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With the possibility of dropping a third consecutive game to a division rival, the Anaheim Ducks once again showed their uncanny ability to win close games.

Center Ryan Kesler scored the game-winner in overtime, and goaltender Frederik Andersen made 30 saves as the Ducks defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 Monday.

Just five seconds after a penalty to Sharks defenseman Brent Burns expired, Kesler rifled a snap shot from 36 feet past goalie Antii Niemi's glove side to win it.

The goal was his 12th in the season that has been everything Anaheim general manager Bob Murray expected when he acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason. Kesler's scoring is just one facet of an overall game that has improved the Ducks' play at the center position, a must if they are to win a championship.

"Whenever you score in that fashion, it's exciting," Kesler said. "We really wanted this one, going into the holiday break on a good note. We've all been on the other side where you lose heading into the break and you think about it for three days."

 

The Ducks (23-8-5) extended their Pacific Division lead over San Jose to eight points with the victory. The win was Anaheim's first in three tries against San Jose this season.

Anaheim, which has not lost back-to-back games this season, earned its 14th one-goal win in its past 16 triumphs.

Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler knotted the game at 2 with his fourth goal of the season at 15:44 of the third period. Charging down the slot, Fowler took a feed from center Ryan Getzlaf and backhanded a shot past the fallen Niemi to send the game to overtime.

"I thought we were pretty resilient," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I know the group pretty well, and I knew they were going to give their best effort today. We played a very good hockey club and snuck away with two points. We're happy."

Though the Sharks (19-11-5) saw their five-game winning streak snapped, the feeling in their locker room is that they would have escaped with the victory on another night.

"I thought it was a well-played game by both teams," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Antti made some pretty remarkable saves, and we needed him when we broke down defensively."

Niemi stopped 29 Anaheim shots but couldn't be faulted on any of the Ducks' goals.

"It came quick," Niemi said of Kesler's winning goal. "It was a quick shot behind the defense. I didn't see it coming early enough."

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Trailing 1-0 entering the third, the Sharks fought back to take the lead within the first eight minutes of final period.

San Jose tied the game on a power-play goal by center Joe Pavelski at 2:00. With Anaheim defenseman Clayton Stoner in the box for hooking, Pavelski tipped a shot from Burns for his team-leading 16th goal of the season. Pavelski took the league lead in power-play goals with his ninth.

The Sharks then took the lead on the first NHL goal by Melker Karlsson at 7:56. Karlsson came down the right wing and fired a slap shot from 46 feet that Andersen initially stopped but let trickle through his pads. The Swedish rookie center was playing in his sixth NHL game.

The Ducks broke the scoreless tie on center Rickard Rakell's first regular-season NHL goal at 7:20 of the second period. The goal was set up when the puck hit the left post and rolled in the goal crease after left winger Emerson Etem flicked it off the glass. Niemi failed to corral the puck in the crease, and Rakell outreached a San Jose defenseman to poke the puck into the cage.

NOTES: San Jose did not dress D Mirco Mueller, C Chris Tierney and D Matt Irwin. ... Ducks RW Tim Jackman left the game after being butt-ended in the face by the stick of San Jose LW John Scott and did not return. ... The Sharks will make another visit to Anaheim next week for a New Year's Eve tilt. It will be San Jose's last regular-season visit to the Honda Center. ... Anaheim scratched D Colby Robak and LW Dany Heatley. ... Ducks D Cam Fowler and LW Matt Beleskey appeared in their 300th NHL game. ... The Ducks will play nine of their next 10 games at home, with the lone road contest coming Saturday at Arizona.

[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

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