For first time, pucks go Ducks’ way
Anaheim takes advantage of Vegas’ injuries, avoids sweep
The Golden Knights caught Anaheim at less than full strength in the teams’ first three matchups.
The Ducks were able to capitalize on a short-handed Knights team Monday.
Anaheim goaltenders John Gibson and Ryan Miller combined to make 33 saves as the Ducks avoided a season sweep with a 2-0 victory over the Knights before 18,267 at T-mobile Arena.
“I don’t think we created enough opportunities,” Knights forward Reilly
Smith said. “I think they did a good job boxing us out in front of their net. If we could have created a couple
more screens or a couple more scrambles, I think we might have been able to find one or two that could have changed the game.”
The Knights (39-16-4, 82 points), who wore their white jerseys, saw their three-game winning streak
KNIGHTS
snapped and were shut out for the third time this season. They also missed out on an opportunity to become the first team to 40 victories this season.
Goaltender Marc-andre Fleury finished with 18 saves for the Knights.
“That’s what we’re going to see down the stretch,” Fleury said. “Everything’s a little more carefully played and defensive on both sides. It’s good we get a taste of it coming down the stretch here before the playoffs.”
Knights coach Gerard Gallant was forced to juggle his forward lines, as the Knights were without wing James Neal (illness), defenseman Shea Theodore (illness) and center Pierre-edouard Bellemare, who was placed on the injured-reserve list Monday morning.
Tomas Hyka made his NHL debut and skated on the fourth line with Oscar Lindberg and Stefan Matteau, another Monday recall from the American Hockey League . Alex Tuch moved into Neal’s spot on the second line.
“You’re going to miss a player like James Neal,” Gallant said. “I don’t think we played bad by any means; we just weren’t good enough.”
Gibson started in net for Anaheim and made 13 saves but was injured in late in the second period when he was clipped on the skate by Smith.
Miller replaced Gibson to open the third period and finished with 20 saves, as the Ducks (30-20-11, 71 points) moved into third place in the Pacific Division.
“It was a pretty tight game both ways,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “Anytime you can go on the road and sneak two points out of it and get a shutout without having a power play, it all adds up.”
Josh Manson and Jakob Silfverberg had goals for the Ducks, who improved to 5-1-1 in their past seven games.
The Knights caught a break late in the second period when Ryan Getzlaf sent a wrist shot past Fleury with 3:11 remaining and momentarily gave Anaheim a two-goal lead.
Gallant successfully challenged that Anaheim wing Rickard Rakell was offside while entering the zone ahead of a long flip pass seven seconds before Getzlaf ’s goal.
“I thought they played smart and simple hockey, and it’s what we usually do,” Tuch said. “I thought tonight we kind of got a little away from our game.”
The Ducks struggled to contain the Knights’ speed in the first three meetings but showed the physical style in the first period that has led to five straight Pacific Division titles.
Knights goaltender Marc-andre Fleury turned away Rakell midway through the period before Anaheim took the lead with 6:28 remaining in the first.
Andrew Cogliano picked up a loose puck behind the net and circled the zone before firing a wrist shot that was deflected in by Silfverberg.
The Knights were outplayed for much of the first despite holding an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal, and their best chance came with a little less than four minutes remaining when Gibson turned away Jonathan Marchessault on a 2-on-1.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @ Davidschoenlvrj on Twitter.