Ducks dispatch Red Wings, 4-2

[March 17, 2018]  The Anaheim Ducks took one step closer to a potential playoff berth, while the Detroit Red Wings took another step towards improving their odds in the draft lottery.

Nick Ritchie, Derek Grant, Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler each scored to lift Anaheim to a 4-2 home win over the Red Wings, helping the Ducks tie both Dallas for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference and Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings lost their ninth straight game and are plummeting towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Anaheim struck first with 13:58 remaining in the first period on a goal by Ritchie, who found himself wide open in front of Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard and buried a pass from Ondrej Kase to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

The Red Wings answered back later in the first, tying the game at 1-1 on a goal by defenseman Mike Green.

Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin took a rebound off of a shot and fired a cross-ice pass on the backhand to Green, who one-timed a shot into an open net with 2:46 left in the first.

Anaheim regained the lead 2:48 into the second period when Grant backhanded in a loose puck off of a scramble in front of the Detroit net, but the Red Wings once again responded.

 

Ducks left wing Nick Ritchie (37) and Detroit Red Wings right wing Luke Witkowski (28) both fight in the first period of an NHL hockey game at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With 12:50 remaining in the second, Gustav Nyquist took a pass from Justin Abelkader in front of the Anaheim goal and scored to tie the game at 2-2.

Anahem answered back though, taking a 3-2 lead with 3:18 left in the second on a goal by Perry, who came from behind the net and tapped home a loose puck into a wide-open goal.

Anaheim took its first two-goal lead of the game with 14:56 remaining on a goal by Ryan Kesler, who backhanded home a rebound to give the Ducks a 4-2 lead. ?

--Field Level Media

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