Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Ryan Kesler scored a pair of third-period
goals and added the winner in the shootout as the Anaheim Ducks stole a 6-5
victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
The first meeting of last season’s Western Conference second-round series had
the feel of a playoff game, especially after the clubs combined for five goals
in a wild third period.
Ryan Getzlaf scored with 1:39 left in regulation to force overtime, and goals
from Jakob Silfverberg and Kesler in the shootout ended the Ducks’ three-game
slide.
Jason LaBarbera took over for an ineffective Frederik Andersen midway through
the second period and made 14 saves before stopping Jeff Carter and Anze
Kopitar in the shootout.
Jonathan Quick made 44 saves in the loss, but the Kings fell for the sixth
time in their last eight games.
Kesler beat Quick from between the circles 2:35 into third period to knot
things at 3-3, but Marian Gaborik and Justin Williams each scored less than
four minutes apart to give the Kings a two-goal cushion.
Gaborik skated in and snuck an odd-angle shot past LaBarbera at the 7:32 mark,
and Williams chipped in a rebound with 8:59 to play.
A gorgeous wrap-around goal from Kesler ignited the Honda Center crowd, and
Getzlaf’s deflection of Devante Smith-Pelly’s turnaround shot with 1:39
remaining provoked an even louder response from the home fans.
Sami Vatanen hooked Kopitar going in on a breakaway 9:21 into the opening
period, and Kopitar backhanded one through Andersen’s legs for the early lead.
LA’s Drew Doughty scored his first goal of the season with 48.5 seconds left
in the opening period with a rising slap shot into the right corner.
Cam Fowler, who had missed Sunday’s loss to the Canucks, returned with a goal
at the 7:07 mark of the second period to cut Anaheim’s deficit to 2-1.
Just over two minutes later, however, Andersen let up a soft goal by whiffing
on Trevor Lewis’ pedestrian wrister from the point, and Bruce Boudreau
immediately pulled his starter.
Silfverberg scored from the same spot as Fowler — the right circle — with
8:17 remaining in the middle stanza.
Game Notes
The Kings needed seven games to oust the Ducks in last season’s playoffs …
The Ducks have been without Corey Perry and Francois Beauchemin because of a
viral gland infection that was identified Wednesday as the mumps. Perry has
been cleared to play and is listed as day-to-day, while Beauchemin is still
receiving IV treatments … Defenseman Jamie McBain, signed the Kings on
Tuesday, saw 11:47 of ice time … These Pacific Division rivals play again in
LA on Saturday.
