Terry’s goal in third period lifts Ducks

His team-leading 25th of the season and Gibson’s season-high 44 saves are enough.

OTTAWA — Troy Terry and Rickard Rakell each scored, John Gibson made a season-high 44 saves, and the Ducks beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Saturday.

“That’s what you need. Your best players have to be your best players, especially getting into the second half of the season and everyone is battling for spots and it’s as close as it is,” Ducks assistant coach Geoff Ward said. “Obviously, [Gibson] gave us a chance to win tonight.”

The Senators (13-21-4) held a wide advantage in shots at 45-20 but managed only one goal, from Tyler Ennis. The Ducks (23-16-8) are 3-0-1 on this five-game trip which concludes Monday in Detroit. They have won four of their last five.

Anton Forsberg played a solid game, making 18 saves, but a third-period goal from Terry, his team-high 25th of the season, proved to be the difference.

Terry took a pass from

Ryan Getzlaf and from the top of the faceoff circle sent a quick shot on goal, beating Forsberg to the far side at 3:42.

The Senators pressed hard the rest of the way, but Gibson was impenetrable, stopping all 34 shots he faced through the final 40 minutes. That included 18 in the second period, five during a late Senators power play.

“The first period was pretty even and the second period we were all over them and third period much of the same. They score on their one chance, I thought, in the third period,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “Their goalie put a clinic on.

You can come up with reasons why you don’t score or come up with different excuses. We had 45 shots and plenty of good looks so he’s the difference.”