Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Matt Beleskey’s goal proved to be the
difference as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Boston Bruins, 3-2, on Monday.
Sami Vatanen and Devante Smith-Pelly both scored for the Ducks, who ended a
two-game skid. Frederik Andersen stopped 32 shots in the win.
“It’s like a good wave, you just have to keep riding it,” Beleskey said. “We
are just trying to have some fun and winning is the way to do it.”
Brad Marchand and Simon Gagne lit the lamp for the Bruins, who have lost three
of their last four games.
Tuukka Rask gave up all three goals on 28 shots.
“Going into the third, the first 10 minutes were the worst of our game there.
They get the two-goal lead and we never rebounded,” Rask said.
After a scoreless first period, each team found the back of the net in the
second.
Andersen turned aside David Pastrnak’s shot from the side of the cage with a
stick save, but Marchand shot the rebound over the Anaheim netminder at 10:20.
Vatanen led an offensive rush and dropped a pass back to Patrick Maroon, who
released a shot from the top of the left circle. Rask made the stop, but
Vatanen kicked the loose puck to his stick and shot it into the net for a tied
game just 57 seconds later.
Joe Morrow jumped out of the penalty box and rushed down the ice on a
breakaway, but Andersen stoned him with a pad stop less than five minutes to
go in the middle stanza.
Smith-Pelly redirected Cam Fowler’s shot from up high through Rask’s legs with
22 seconds to play in the second to give Anaheim the lead.
Less than five minutes into the third, Beleskey wristed a quick shot over the
glove of Rask off a Ryan Getzlaf faceoff win to increase Anaheim’s lead to
3-1.
Daniel Paille emerged from behind the net with the puck and sent a cross-ice
pass through the crease to Gagne, who jabbed it past Andersen for a one-goal
game with 9:40 left in the game.
Game Notes
Pastrnak tallied his first career point with an assist on Marchand’s goal and
Gagne registered his 600th NHL point … Prior to the game, Anaheim recalled
goaltender Igor Bobkov from Norfolk (AHL) to back up Andersen in place of an
injured Jason LaBarbera … The Ducks improved to 11-0-5 in one-goal games …
The season series concludes on March 26 at TD Garden.
