In return to ice, Ducks fall short
Ritchie is back and scores, but team loses in its first game after the All-Star break.
SAN JOSE — Patrick Marleau and Stefan Noesen each scored twice, and the San Jose Sharks defeated the Ducks 4-2 on Monday night at SAP Center as the teams returned from the NHL All-Star break.
Marleau moved past Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur and into a tie with Mike Modano for 25th place on the league’s career list with 561 goals. The 40-year-old also moved past Rod Brind’Amour for 50th on the all-time points list with 1,185 — including 1,101 with the Sharks.
Erik Karlsson had an assist for his 600th career point to help San Jose end a threegame skid. Goaltender Aaron Dell stopped 26 shots.
“You always want to be on the score sheet,” Marleau said. “But, over the years, one thing I’ve learned is not to think about it too much, just go out and let things happen.”
Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie scored for the Ducks (19-25-5), who were seeking their first three-game winning streak since they won their first three to start the season. The Ducks have lost eight of their last 11 (3-7-1). John Gibson had 27 saves.
Noesen, a 26-year-old former Ducks prospect, scored multiple goals for the third time in his career and second time against the Ducks. He scored his third goal on a tip-in off Joel Kellman’s shot less than two minutes into the game.
Marleau scored an unassisted goal 4 minutes 35 seconds into the first period to make it 2-0 for the Sharks (22-25-4).
The Ducks pulled to within 2-1 on a short-handed goal midway through the second when Kase slipped the puck past Dell on a breakaway for his sixth goal of the season.
Marleau scored his second goal of the game and 10th of the season late in the second period, and Noesen scored for the fourth time this season at 2:28 of the third.
Ritchie notched his fourth goal of the season on a power play with 1:53 left in the third. The forward was back in the lineup after missing 19 games with a medial collateral ligament sprain.
“We didn’t have a great start, and they jumped on us,” Ritchie said. “It’s happened to us before in this building.”
Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg missed Monday’s game to be with his wife for the birth of their child.