Ducks win in shootout
His first goal ties it with 5.1 seconds left and Ducks win in a shootout. Rakell hurt.
Perry scores with five seconds to play in regulation and Stewart nets the winner in shootout.
The way things have been going lately for the Ducks, they might want to roll Ryan Kesler in bubble wrap for their next game.
Already without captain Ryan Getzlaf because of an appendectomy, the Ducks had Rickard Rakell leave the game Wednesday with an upper-body injury, meaning they are without two of their top three centers.
Rakell is one of their best forwards this season, and his departure in the first period after a hit by Florida Panthers defenseman Alex Petrovic seemed to dampen a 3-2 shootout win at Honda Center.
But Chris Stewart put the finishing touches on the comeback win with the game-winning goal in the fourth round of the shootout, backed by goalie Frederik Andersen’s gameclinching save on Jonathan Huberdeau.
Corey Perry ignited the building when he tied it with 5.1 seconds left in regulation and ended an 11-game scoreless streak to start the season. He collapsed in disbelief after he shot in a loose puck on a 6-on-4 power play with an extra attacker.
“It was a long time coming,” Perry said. “You stick with it and you keep pushing and you try not to get too frustrated. I finally found the bounce, and I had to make the right shot.”
The Ducks were staring at a regulation loss after Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson scored on an innocent-looking shot that eluded Andersen with 2:03 left in the second period to give Florida a 2-1 lead.
“It was just a matter of time” Stewart said of Perry’s first goal. “It showed up when we needed him the most to tie the game. Big players always score big goals.
“It was a real gutsy win for the boys. It took 65 minutes, and we had no passengers tonight. Everyone was working hard and it was good to get that bounce late to tie that up.”
The Ducks got three power plays in the third but couldn’t crack Florida goalie Roberto Luongo on the first two.
“It’s huge when you’re down after two periods and you find a way to come back and get the win in a shootout,” Perry said. “Those are confidence boosts.”
The Ducks did improve their game considerably with a better forecheck and 39 shots on Luongo, who looked solid aside from a Stewart goal that tied it 1-1 in the second period.
Stewart shot the puck from a sharp angle on the left side and it banked off the right post and into the net with Shawn Horcoff occupying the crease. It was Stewart’s second goal in as many games, making him an unlikely scoring co-leader.
The Ducks still have no goals by three of their topfour scorers from last season: Getzlaf, Kesler, and Jakob Silfverberg, although Getzlaf missed his fourth game and could return this weekend.
Florida’s Rocco Grimaldi completed the feel-good local story with his first goal in the arena not far from where he was born in Anaheim. He had about 30 family members and friends in attendance and made them proud when he finished a rush with a shot off Cam Fowler’s skate to give Florida a 1-0 lead five minutes into the second period. Hampus Lindholm lost the puck trying to get it out of the zone.
Thompson skates
Center Nate Thompson participated in the morning skate in an encouraging sign. He underwent major shoulder surgery in June and appears to be in line with the expected five-to-six month recovery period.
The unsung veteran said it was a big turning point just to be back with the team.
“It was like Christmas for me out there to be with them, with a bunch of guys, and not just by myself,” Thompson said.