|
 On a night when they faced a red-hot goaltender, they kept firing
away and won in dramatic fashion.
Winger Corey Perry scored the game-winning power-play goal with 1.3
seconds remaining in overtime, and goalie Jonas Hiller stopped 17
shots as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3
Sunday.
Anaheim (31-8-5) remained undefeated in regulation over the past 19
games, and Hiller extended a personal record by winning his 11th
consecutive game. The 67 standings points represent Anaheim's best
start to a season through 45 games, besting the 64 points earned in
2006-07.
With most of the sellout crowd thinking the game was going to a
shootout, Perry scored his 23rd goal and league-high eighth
game-winner of the season when his wrist shot from 18 feet eluded
Edmonton goalie Eddie Lack during a 4-on-3 power play.
"I saw there was just a couple of seconds left and just yelled for
the puck," Perry said. "Lack played great, and of all the shots I
took, a trickler is the one that goes in."
The victory moved Anaheim past the Chicago Blackhawks for first
overall in the NHL.
"I do sense they feel it building, but we can't get ahead of
ourselves," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We have 38 games left,
and our play in the first period of games has not been great
lately."
Vancouver (23-13-8) got a goal and two assists from center Henrik
Sedin, plus three assists from Daniel Sedin. Lack stopped 45 shots,
but the Canucks still lost their fourth consecutive game.
Lack deserved a better fate after facing 40 shots over the final two
periods of regulation and four more in the extra session. If the
Canucks stayed out of the penalty box late in regulation and
overtime, he might have emerged with the victory.
Canucks coach John Tortorella thought the rookie goaltender was the
bright spot in defeat.
"He's been something, hasn't he? He brought it to another level
tonight," Tortorella said. "You try to find some good stuff, and
that is really some good stuff there."
Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis lamented the team's lost weekend in
Southern California. Vancouver fell 3-1 to the Kings in Los Angeles
on Saturday.
"Both games we had early leads and then we sat back," he said. "It
was more of a mindset of playing not to lose instead of playing to
win. That is the biggest reason as to why we are giving up so many
shots."
[to top of second column] |
Despite blowing an early 2-0 margin, Vancouver regained the
lead after killing a penalty early in the third period.
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa's wrist shot from the right point eluded
a screened Hiller. Henrik and Daniel Sedin drew assists on
Bieksa's second goal of the year at 1:03.
Ducks center Nick Bonino evened the game on his 12th goal of the
season with 1:27 remaining in regulation when he took a feed
from winger Daniel Winnik off a turnover along the Vancouver
defensive wing.
The Canucks started the night quickly with the help of special
teams. Center Ryan Kesler opened the scoring for a second
consecutive game with a power-play goal 9:40 into the game. He
received a cross-ice pass from Henrik Sedin and ripped a slap
shot past Hiller.
Anaheim's penalty troubles helped Vancouver double its lead two
minutes later. After the Ducks were penalized for too many men,
Henrik Sedin beat Hiller with a slap shot from 57 feet at 11:40.
The Ducks evened the score in the middle frame. On the first
shift after intermission, center Saku Koivu took a pass from
winger Jakob Silfverberg from behind the Vancouver net and
converted 24 seconds into the second period. It was Koivu's
eighth goal of the season.
After applying pressure throughout the period, left winger Matt
Beleskey took a pass from winger Kyle Palmieri and beat Lack
with a backhand at 16:38.
NOTES: The Canucks signed 43-year-old amateur G Rob Laurie to a
professional tryout contract to back up starting G Eddie Lack. G
Roberto Luongo was scratched with an undisclosed injury after
making 45 saves Saturday in a 3-1 loss in Los Angeles. Luongo
will be evaluated by doctors Monday in Vancouver to determine
the extent of his injury. ... Vancouver did not dress Luongo, LW
Chris Higgins and D Andrew Alberts . ... Canucks RW Benn
Ferriero made his debut in a Vancouver uniform after being
recalled from the Canucks' AHL Utica affiliate. ... Anaheim
scratched C Mathieu Perreault, D Mark Fistric and LW Patrick
Maroon. ... Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano signed a four-year, $12
million contract extension Saturday. With 13 goals and 25 points
through 43 games, Cogliano is on track for career highs in those
categories this season. ... The Ducks conclude a four-game
homestand Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. ... The Canucks
return home to play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
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