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 They surmounted severe penalty trouble and a two-goal deficit to
topple the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in overtime Tuesday at Honda
Center.
"When it's close in the third period, we don't quit," Anaheim coach
Bruce Boudreau said.
Right winger Corey Perry found center Ryan Getzlaf for a one-timer
45 seconds into overtime, completing the Ducks' rally.
"I had wait and wait to try and get around a guy's stick," Perry
said. "I knew (Getzlaf) would be going to the net. I found a way to
get it through a couple guys, and he made no mistake."
Anaheim took five third-period penalties, weathered two
five-on-three situations and surrendered a go-ahead goal on a
penalty shot before scoring twice in the last 11 minutes to force
overtime.
"The guys did a heck of a job in killing the five-on-threes," Perry
said. "We did a good job of keeping our emotions in check and
finishing the hockey game the way we wanted to."
 The Hurricanes (17-26-7) have the NHL's third-lowest point total.
However, they are 7-3-3 since Jan. 1, and they challenged the Ducks,
who are tied for the league lead with 72 points. Anaheim improved to
33-12-6.
Centers Jay McClement, Brad Malone and Jordan Staal scored for
Carolina, as did winger Alexander Semin. Perry tallied twice and
added an assist, and center Ryan Kesler and left winger Devante
Smith-Pelly lit the lamp for Anaheim.
Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen turned aside 28 of 32 shots in a
winning effort. Carolina goaltender Anton Khudobin made 26 saves.
The Ducks' top scorers put the home team on the board 37 seconds
into the second period. Getzlaf collected a turnover off the
forecheck and dished the puck to Perry, who shot and then popped in
his own rebound. It was Getzlaf's first point in four games and
Perry's 20th goal, giving him 20 or more goals in each of the last
seven 82-game NHL seasons.
The Hurricanes knotted the game off a turnover as well, at 9:24 of
the middle period. Center Victor Rask knocked a loose puck to Semin,
who finished the play deftly for the second goal of his campaign.
Semin, a winger who will earn $7 million this year, was a healthy
scratch for four games in January.
"There are certain guys in this league who can score from 50 feet,
and he's one of them," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "He's a
dangerous guy who got free for a little bit in the slot and found a
way to finish."
Just 2:17 later, Carolina took a 2-1 lead as McClement's wrist shot
between three Anaheim defenders found the net on the far side.
The Ducks tied the game at 14:21 of the second period when Kesler
redirected defenseman Hampus Lindholm's point shot past Khudobin.
The power-play tally was Kesler's 14th goal of the season.
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Anaheim faced a major challenge early in the third period, having to
kill a full two minutes of a five-on-three Carolina advantage.
Andersen's outstanding save on a point-blank, backhand bid from
Jordan Staal early in the power play helped stave off the Carolina
onslaught.
"They had their opportunities to bury us," Boudreau said. "When a
team doesn't put another team away, usually bad things happen."
A subsequent infraction cost Anaheim the lead. Malone was awarded a
penalty shot 4:01 into the third period, and he converted for his
fifth goal of 2014-15.
The Hurricanes added what appeared to be an insurance marker. Eric
Staal outmuscled a pair of Ducks coming off the right wing wall and
generated a rebound that Jordan Staal turned into his second goal of
the season.
Anaheim halved the deficit when Smith-Pelly deflected right winger
Jakob Silfverberg's skittering shot from the right point for his
fifth goal of the season with 8:29 remaining in the game.
With 4:08 to play, Perry swatted in a rebound from defenseman Sami
Vatanen to tie the game at 4.
"You have to learn how to put games away," Peters said. "We have to
have more guys, all hands on deck, finding a way get pucks out, get
pucks deep and block shots."
NOTES: Ducks D Eric Brewer (foot) returned to the lineup. He had
been out since Dec. 1 after playing just two games for Anaheim after
he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade. ... Brewer
replaced Anaheim D Clayton Stoner, who was unavailable due to an
illness. ... Carolina had a full lineup minus D Joni Pitkanen
(heel), who has yet to play this season. ... Hurricanes G Anton
Khudobin made his first career start against the Ducks. ... Carolina
RW Elias Lindholm returned to the lineup after being a healthy
scratch against the New York Rangers on Friday. He skated on a line
with Eric and Jordan Staal.
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