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 "The team got two points with me -- I'm part of the team now,"
said a smiling Brygalov, who needed to make just 14 saves in
defeating the New Jersey Devils, 5-1, at Honda Center. "The team
played tremendously in front of me. They battled hard, and made my
job really easy tonight. I really appreciated it."
Bryzgalov, who played for Anaheim from 2001-07, re-signed as a free
agent in December, and was making just his third start in relief of
Frederik Anderson. The Ducks (29-10-6) totaled 40 shots against two
Devils goalies. Starter Cory Schneider left after the first period
because of a shoulder injury.
"They came right out after us, beat us to the puck, out-hustled us,"
Devils president/GM/coach Lou Lamoriello said of the Ducks.
New Jersey (16-22-8) had won its past two Anaheim visits since
2010-11, and was coming off a big win Wednesday in Los Angeles, 5-3,
over the Stanley Cup champion Kings. With the loss to the Ducks, the
Devils fell to 4-8-3 against Western Conference teams.
"You could definitely say this this was a step back," New Jersey
left winger Tim Seslito said. "We didn't come out of our end in the
first two periods. We did a lot of chasing. The ice definitely was
tilted to our end the first two periods."
 New Jersey managed just one shot on Bryzgalov in the second period,
and just six through two.
"I tried to stay focused," Bryzgalov said of the middle period, when
almost all the action was in the Devils' defensive zone. "I've been
around in this league. I know how things can change quickly."
He had to make eight of his saves in the third period, as the
dormant Devils offense finally showed some life.
"In the third period we came out pretty good," Seslito said, "which
is how we should've been playing the whole night."
But Bryzgalov was up to that challenge, putting up a zero, and the
Ducks padded their margin with the only two goals of the third
period.
"I think this is just the way we want to play," said Anaheim
defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who scored what proved to be the winning
goal. "Today was a good game for us, the kind of game we want to
take into the playoffs.
"We blocked shots (15). We know they're a transition team, so we
kept getting pucks deep. We're a big team -- that's our strength."
At 18:31 of the third, Silfverberg scored his second goal of the
game, on a power play, for the final margin.
Left winger Patrick Maroon, set up by center Ryan Getzlaf's feed,
scored his third goal of the season at 16:27 of the third to make it
4-1. It was Maroon's first goal since Dec. 3 against Philadelphia,
ending a 17-game drought.
At 5:08 of the second, Silfverberg victimized New Jersey back-up
goalie Keith Kinkaid with his fifth goal -- and first point in 13
games. Silfverberg went behind the net and stuffed in a wraparound
for a 3-1 Ducks advantage.
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"I thought he handled it as well as he could," Lamoriello said of
Kinkaid's emergency call. "It's tough going in there like that."
Lindholm had greeted Kinkaid, who relieved starter Schneider to
start the middle period, at 3:16, when scored his fifth off a fine
drop pass by left winger Matt Beleskey after center Rickard Rakell
made a nice pass in the neutral zone to start the rush to make it
2-1.
Despite being out-shot, 15-5 in the first period, Schneider's work
kept New Jersey in it early, as the Devils got out of the first
period even at 1. Right winger Martin Havlat scored a power-play
goal at 15:12, with Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen off for tripping
left winger Mike Cammalleri. Havlat shot from an extreme angle along
the goal line, and the puck struck an out-of-position Bryzgalov and
went in between his pads. It was Havlat's fifth goal.
Right winger Corey Perry, who had three goals Wednesday, put the
Ducks ahead, 1-0, at 4:09 of the first with his 19th. Perry's so hot
right now, even his passes go in the net; his centering attempt for
Maroon hit Schneider's goal stick, and caromed past him.
NOTES: Ducks D Sami Vatanen was fined $3,393.82 by the NHL Thursday
for an elbow to the chin of Toronto LW David Booth in the third
period Wednesday, knocking out of the game. ... Anaheim C Ryan
Kesler played in his 700th NHL game. ... Ducks LW Matt Beleskey (17
goals), a healthy scratch Wednesday against Toronto, returned to the
lineup against New Jersey on the fourth line centered by Rickard
Rakell. ... Anaheim LW Andrew Cogliano played in his 585th
consecutive game, the third-longest streak to start a career in NHL
history (Doug Jarvis, 964; Andy Hebenton, 630). ... New Jersey's 26
road games lead the NHL. ... Devils D Eric Gelinas (flu) hasn't
played since Dec. 31 against Detroit. He missed five games because
of the flu, and was scratched Wednesday and Friday after being
activated from IR. ... New Jersey D Mark Fraser (finger) played
despite being slashed Wednesday at Los Angeles, and missing practice
Thursday.
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