It took the Anaheim Ducks five games, but last year's Western Conference points leader finally has a win in the 2015-16 season. Four different goal scorers lifted the Ducks over the Minnesota Wild 4-1 Sunday evening in a game that was dominated by the visiting natives from up north.
Coming into their fifth game of the year, the Ducks had only one goal to their name -- coming in their 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks -- and spent the remainder of their time scoreless. Three whole games the Ducks spent without a goal, with players such as Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, and Carl Hagelin on their roster. It wasn't good for the Ducks of Anaheim, but Sunday night's win takes a weight off the team that looked marginally better, even with backup goaltender Anton Khudobin between the pipes.
Khudobin's night against the Wild went miles better than his first start of the year against the Arizona Coyotes last Wednesday, where he let in three goals on eight shots and was pulled just 13 minutes into the contest. The backup was solid all game, stopping 36 of Minnesota's 37 shots in a game where Khudobin was certainly the Ducks best player of the evening.
It was an ugly Ducks win for sure, as Anaheim only got 22 shots on Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk through the 60 minute match. The goals that were scored by the Ducks were hard-fought, dirty pucks. Multiple bodies were set up in front of Dubnyk on Cam Fowler's opening tally while Mike Santorelli banged home Shawn Horcoff's shot from the slot through the legs of the Minnesota netminder that put Anaheim up 3-1. It wasn't an easy win and the Ducks were outplayed for much of it, but the victory has to feel good for Bruce Boudreau's team, despite the lopsided scoresheet.
Scores
Ducks 4, Wild 1
Oilers 2, Canucks 1 (OT)
3 things we learned
1. Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov are a dynamite one-two combo in the making
Guess what happens when you put two No. 1 draft picks on a line together? If you guessed anything but brilliance, let me take you to some highlights. It's still early, but the paring of Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov on a line together has put up a combined four goals and three assists over the past two games. Edmonton is no stranger to young talent, but it's finally starting to pay off for the Oilers this season. Get accustomed to these two names together on the scoresheet, folks.
2. John Hynes had to work for his first game-winning puck
Earlier on Sunday, the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in the 3-on-3 overtime. The win was head coach John Hynes' first for the Devils thanks to Lee Stempniak's 2-on-1 goal, but the game-winning puck went on a little adventure before it got to the New Jersey boss bench.
Devils captain Andy Greene got the game-winning goal puck for coach John Hynes as a souvenir for his first win, but it wasn't easy...(1)
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) October 18, 2015
Derek Stepan flipped the puck over the glass, likely out of frustration, after Lee Stempniak scored. A fan wound up with the puck...(2)
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) October 18, 2015
Greene got a different puck, found the fan, and made a trade for the game-winning puck. Greene then presented it to Hynes. Pretty cool.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) October 18, 2015
3. Vladimir Tarasenko is good at hockey
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice against the Winnipeg Jets to help the St. Louis Blues secure a 4-2 victory and in the process catapulted himself to the top of the NHL league leaders. As of Sunday evening, Tarasenko is in a three-way tie for first in points with David Krejci and Henrik Zetterberg (9) and a four-way tie for first in goals with Jamie Benn, Zach Parise, and Tomas Plekanec (5). It doesn't hurt to have skills like these, either.
#GottaSeeIt: Another day, another episode of The Tarasenko Show http://t.co/lrcqSNuPZ3
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 18, 2015
Impact Moment
Granlund hit on Kesler pic.twitter.com/GirFniUyp2
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 19, 2015
Not every day you see Mikael Granlund land a heavy hit on big guy Ryan Kesler.
Stat of the Night
Khusobin's goals-against average wouldn't fit on one line in game notes. pic.twitter.com/1Jd0PrunHI
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) October 18, 2015
That has to be a record.
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