|
 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."
[to top of second column] |
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.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
