VIDEO: Ducks Have Meltdown Against Penguins

Photo: AP

By Stephanie Mazzuca

The Anaheim Ducks hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Honda Center on Friday night, with John Gibson (.923 SV %) in goal against Matt Murray (.917 SV %).

Period 1

The Ducks got off to a strong start when Ondrej Kase (11-8-19) scored on a bad-angle shot after two minutes of play. Kase’s goal elevated him to the leading scorer for the Anaheim Ducks so far this season. Following the goal, Anaheim maintained strong offensive pressure and dominated possession of the puck. This strong first period continued as Ryan Getzlaf (9-20-29) scored while falling to the ice. He was assisted on the rush by Andrew Cogliano (2-7-9). Three minutes later, Nick Ritchie (5-12-17) tipped a well-placed pass from Daniel Sprong (5-5-10) and found the back of the net, increasing Anaheim’s lead to 3-0. The Ducks continued to control play and generated dangerous scoring opportunities. In the final minutes of the first period, Pittsburgh made an aggressive push into the Ducks’ zone but was unable to get past John Gibson. Josh Manson (3-7-10) then received a high-sticking penalty that Anaheim was able to kill, ending the first period with a score of 3-0. The Ducks finished with a total of 9 shots on goal and the Penguins had 7 shots on goal.

Period 2

The second period began with Anaheim on the penalty kill following Josh Manson’s (3-7-10) late high-sticking penalty. As the penalty expired, Evgeni Malkin (13-32-45) found the back of the net and brought the score to 3-1. A defensive zone breakdown allowed Jake Guentzel (18-21-39) to get past John Gibson. This decreased Anaheim’s lead to 3-2. Over the next few minutes, the game’s intensity increased as more back-and-forth play ensued. Jake Guentzel then tripped Brandon Montour (5-16-21) and received a penalty that the Ducks were unable to convert. Halfway through the period, Josh Manson was penalized for tripping Jake Guentzel on a breakaway and Anaheim was fortunate that Guentzel wasn’t given a penalty shot. John Gibson made several key saves on the following Pittsburgh power play but Jake Guentzel scored to tie the game at 3-3. With 5 minutes remaining, Andrew Cogliano (2-7-9) received a tripping minor against Bryan Dumoulin (1-11-12). The Ducks surprisingly created a short-handed breakaway that allowed Jakob Silfverberg (11-7-18) to find the back of the net. This jumped Silfverberg over Kase as Anaheim’s current goal leader. The second period ended at a score of 4-3 in favor of the Ducks, with the Penguins leading the 9-14 shots on goal count.

Period 3

In the first few minutes of the third period, both Anaheim and Pittsburgh created dangerous offensive opportunities. The Penguins began to dominate play halfway through the period. After a frenzy in front of the net, Tanner Pearson (6-5-11) was able to squeeze the puck past John Gibson and tie the game at 4-4. Jacob Larsson (0-2-2) then fumbled the puck along the boards and allowed Phil Kessel (17-30-47) to convert on a rebound. This gave Pittsburgh their first lead of the night. Anaheim had a chance to regain their momentum when Jamie Oleksiak (4-7-11) received a high-sticking penalty against Andrew Cogliano, but they couldn’t find the back of the net. With less than 4 minutes remaining in the game, John Gibson made another strong save. The puck then bounced behind him and Tanner Pearson pushed it past the goal line, increasing Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-6. Anaheim pulled their goaltender in the game’s final minute but it wasn’t enough. Jake Guentzel scored on the empty net for his second career hat-trick, ending the game at a score of 4-7.

Post-Game Analysis

Though the Anaheim Ducks started tonight’s game with a strong 3-0 lead in the first period, Sidney Crosby (20-33-53) and his top-talent line were able to turn the game around. This loss now extends the Ducks’ losing streak to 10 games – a franchise record. Anaheim will now face a long road trip in which they can hopefully find a win.

Want to start your sports media career? Then Join The Puck Network!

DucksNPucks is part of The Puck Network, which covers the entire NHL. There are openings to cover your favorite team(s) and earn school credits! If you are interested, then apply by filling out the form here: Join Our Team. What are you waiting for? Start your sports media career TODAY!

January 12th, 2019