Perry, Getzlaf lead Ducks over Blue Jackets

[November 07, 2015]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Due to poor play and injury, the Anaheim Ducks found themselves at the bottom of the NHL standings in the early weeks of the season. With a return to health by its leader and a return to form by its leading scorer, Anaheim is starting a slow climb back to contender status.

Right winger Corey Perry and center Ryan Getzlaf had three assists and defenseman Josh Manson scored his first career goal as the Ducks defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Friday night.

Anaheim (4-7-2) won its third consecutive game to climb out of the Pacific Division cellar passing the idle Calgary Flames. Goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 34 Columbus shots for his third victory of the season.

It took little time for Getzlaf and Perry to find their old magic after the former missed four games after having his appendix removed. His performance Friday reassures the team that when healthy, he is still one of the elite centers in the game.

"I'm feeling much better than when I left," Getzlaf said. "This is an opportunity to string wins together so we can make up the ground we lost at the start of the season."

While Perry failed to score again and still in the midst of a major goal scoring slump (one goal in 13 games), his playmaking ability was a key to the Ducks' fourth straight home win.

"Your best players have to play their best and tonight we got that from Ryan and Corey," said Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau. "We are starting to build momentum and now we have to go on the road and start winning."

Columbus (4-11-0) had a two-game winning streak snapped and are 4-4-0 since John Tortorella took over head coaching duties from Todd Richards. Blue Jackets goaltender Curtis McElhinney stopped 30 Anaheim shots and remains winless this season (0-3-0).

Despite the defeat, the Blue Jackets concluded a successful California road trip, winning two games in the Golden State for only the third time in franchise history.

"We're getting there and we've done some good things on this road trip but we need more consistency from our game," said Columbus center Ryan Johansen. "We've dug ourselves a big hole but we're certainly not out of it if we keep improving."

Tortorella was upbeat as well, lauding his team's effort on the back end of back-to-back games.

"I thought we had them at the end of the second period," Tortorella said. "I have no problem with their effort and they are starting to learn the defensive play you need to win."

Left winger Scott Hartnell got Columbus to within a goal with his team-leading seventh goal of the season and second of the game with 1:00 remaining, but Ducks defenseman Clayton Stoner clinched the game at 19:44 with an empty-net goal.

Anaheim opened the scoring at 3:28 of the first period on defenseman Cam Fowler's second goal of the season. Perry sped in on a breakaway after two Columbus players collided and Fowler was there to bang home the rebound after an initial pad save by McElhinney.

The Ducks extended to a 2-0 lead on a power-play goal by left winger Patrick Maroon at 6:43 of the second period. Maroon was struck in front of the net by Perry's tip-in attempt from the slot and swatted the puck in as it landed between his feet for his first goal of the season.

Columbus drew within 2-1 on Hartnell first goal of the game at 9:15 of the second period. Center Brandon Dubinsky took a return pass from defenseman David Savard after winning a battle along the boards and connected with Hartnell, who was left unguarded at the left post for an easy tap-in.

Manson restored Anaheim's two goal lead at 8:46 of the final period, firing home a snap shot off a feed from behind the net by Perry.

NOTES: Columbus did not dress LW Rene Bourque, LW Kerby Rychel and D Dalton Prout. ... The Blue Jackets head home to the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena after a heavy stretch of road contests. They have only played one home game over the last 20 days (a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Oct. 31) and have three days off before facing Vancouver on Tuesday. ... The current Columbus roster contains just one free agent, C Gregory Campbell who was inked to a two-year deal on July 1. Their 23 man roster is comprised of 11 drafted players and 11 that were obtained via a trade. ... Anaheim recalled LW Harry Zolnierczyk from its San Diego AHL affiliate. ... The Ducks scratched D Korbinian Holzer and C Rickard Rakell. ... Anaheim C Ryan Getzlaf returned to the lineup after missing four games with an appendectomy. The Ducks went 2-2-0 without their captain and top center.

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