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 That changed Sunday as Hiller and the sizzling Ducks continued
their hot streak.
Hiller captured his 14th consecutive victory and guided the Ducks to
a 1-0 decision over the Detroit Red Wings before a sellout crowd of
17,375 at Honda Center.
"It was a really tight game, a playoff kind of game," said Hiller,
who stopped 22 shots. "Not too many scoring chances on both ends,
but I'm definitely really happy to get away with one."
The NHL-leading Ducks (35-8-5) improved their home record to 19-0-2.
They also swept the two-game series from the Red Wings (20-16-10).
Anaheim recorded a 5-2 win at Detroit on Dec. 17.
By winning their seventh in a row and 17th in 18 games, the Ducks
also claimed their nine consecutive home win.
"To be able to get a 1-0 win and get it like that when you had to
defend in the third period was really good," Ducks coach Bruce
Boudreau said.
Center Andrew Cogliano's second-period goal held up as Hiller earned
the shutout despite several point-blank shots by the Red Wings
throughout the contest.
"Sometimes, you have to bear down and play good defense and squeak
games out," said Cogliano, who scored his 15th goal. "I thought it
was an even game for the most part. We were able to really
neutralize some of their top guys and get a goal."
Hiller became just the fifth NHL netminder to win 14 straight. The
Pittsburgh Penguins' Tom Barrasso was the last goaltender to
accomplish the feat in 1993. Hiller needs three wins to tie the
record of 17 straight victories set by the Boston Bruins' Gilles
Gilbert, who recorded the mark from December 1975 through February
1976.
"The win is what counts and that's what keeps you happy. The other
thing is something for yourself. It comes second to me," Hiller said
of his streak. "It's definitely great to get a game with no goals.
But in the end, it's the win I enjoy the most."
Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek also stopped 22 shots.
"We played good enough to win but couldn't find a way," Red Wings
left winger Henrik Zetterberg said.
The lone goal came when Ducks center Saku Koivu zipped the puck past
defenseman Brendan Smith in front of the Detroit net to a streaking
Cogliano, who banged it home at 12:42 of the second period.
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"Normally, they beat you 5-1," Detroit coach Mike Babcock
said. "It was tight, but they didn't have much room either.
Neither goalie had to be very good, to be honest with you. There
just wasn't that type of opportunity. They're finding a way to
win every night, and we're not finding a way to win every night.
We would like to be more like them, to be honest with you."
Anaheim played without captain Ryan Getzlaf, who suffered a leg
injury in Saturday's victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. Boudreau
said the center, who has 36 points in his past 25 games, should
return Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Detroit was minus right winger Daniel Alfredsson, second on the
team in points with 30, who missed his second consecutive game
with back spasms. Injuries also kept Red Wings center Pavel
Datsyuk, right winger Johan Franzen and defensemen Alexey
Marchenko and Darren Helm off the ice.
"It's nothing new for us," Zetterberg said regarding injuries.
"We just have to deal with it."
Both clubs were playing their second games in as many nights.
The Ducks were coming off a 5-3 decision at Phoenix, while the
Red Wings registered a 3-1 win in Los Angeles over the Kings on
Saturday.
NOTES: Detroit LW Tomas Tatar, who scored the game-winning goal
in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, was due to fly
home to Slovakia after Sunday's game for his father's funeral,
according to Michigan Live. Tatar's father died Saturday. Tatar
is expected to miss Thursday's road game against the New York
Rangers. ... Anaheim C Saku Koivu was penalized three times in a
little more than a period. He was sent to the box twice in the
first period for high sticking and tripping and less than two
minutes into the second for holding. "We were resting him in the
first period," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau joked. ... After the
Ducks host the Canucks, they embark on a two-game road swing
against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and the St. Louis Blues
on Saturday. ... After Thursday's match against the Rangers,
Detroit opens a five-game homestand, beginning Saturday against
the Kings.
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