Ducks Squeeze out an Emotional 2-1 Overtime Victory in Dallas

Final Score: Ducks 2, Stars 1 (OT)

Chart courtesy of War-on-ice.com

First Period Recap:

The ailing Patrick Maroon (out with an MCL sprain) returned to the lineup tonight, alongside Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and the (YESSSS) new top defensive pairing of Sami Vatanen and Cam Fowler. (The other two defensive pairs are Francois Beauchemin-Hampus Lindholm and Clayton Stoner-Josh Manson). Dany Heatley was scratched. William Karlsson also returned to the lineup instead of Rickard Rakell.

Maroon was welcomed back to the lineup, early on by a huge hit from Erik Cole (to the delight of the home crowd), but got up quickly. Tyler Seguin went off at 12:13 for high sticking, but the Ducks' power play was cut short by Ryan Kesler tripping Brenden Dillon.

Late in the period, Tim Jackman went off for an objectively incorrect goalie interference call, which actually was caused by Dillon's stick getting up into Lehtonen's face. Jakob Silfverberg had the first meaningful scoring chance of the period while shorthanded, but couldn't make anything happen. At the end of the period, the Ducks and Stars remained scoreless, though the Ducks lead the Stars in shots on goal (11-8).

Fun fact: Josh Manson logged 4:01 and was credited with his one hit in his first period of NHL action.

Second Period Recap:

The Ducks began the second period shorthanded as Tim Jackman served the rest of his slashing penalty (the Ducks kill the penalty, thankfully). Unfortunately, this was followed by more 4 on 4 action as Antoine Roussel was whistled for high sticking, and Corey Perry got caught embellishing. The penalties continued when Manson cleared the puck over the glass forcing the Ducks to the PK once again.

Cam Fowler committed a huge turnover, but Frederik Andersen robbed Colton Sceviour of an excellent scoring opportunity with a wild kick save. The Stars had a bad giveway as well, but the Ducks are unable to convert it.

Clearly, the referees were aware of the high emotions in this game, thanks to the first round playoff series between the two teams as they called A LOT more penalties, in varying states of sanity.  Jamie Oleskiak grabbed all over Emerson Etem for one, Lindholm went for an interference call that he was not happy with, because of some embellishment by Cole, Tim Jackman's hard forecheck forced Kevin Connauton to draw a penalty for holding the stick but that penalty was essentially nullified after Ryan Getzlaf went off for roughing (again embellished by Ryan Garbutt).

With 3:15 left in the period, Corey Perry went 200 feet, making a great defensive play to keep the puck from Trevor Daley, received a fantastic stretch pass from Beauch and dinged a perfect shot off the far post and it in. 1-0, Ducks.

Hampus Lindholm denied Tyler Seguin an excellent scoring opportunity, taking the body as Seguin got behind the defense and nearly had a breakaway at the close of the period.

The Ducks only allowed one shot on goal this period, which ties a franchise record for fewest shots allowed in a second period (3/28/07 vs PHX), but remember it was an incredible scoring chance that Andersen just barely got his skate on at full stretch.

Third Period Recap:

A Ducks turnover lead to an excellent scoring opportunity for Jamie Benn, but Andersen robbed him, point blank as a ton of bodies crashed in on his net.

Josh Manson put the puck in the net, but his first NHL goal was waved off - without a penalty - because Jackman (who was on a breakaway ?!) fell into Kari Lehtonen's crease, preventing him from making a play on the puck.

With 7:30 left in regulation, the Ducks were whistled for having too many men on the ice and logically, our BFF Antoine Roussel scored on the resulting Stars power play, tying the game 1-1. (Trevor Daley and our second BFF Ryan Garbutt assisted). Adding insult to injury, literally, was the fact that earlier during the Dallas PP Andrew Cogliano was cut by a high stick, but it was ruled a follow through so no penalty was assessed.

There was a scary moment away from the play when Corey Perry went down after a collision with Jamie Benn, miles away from the puck.  Benn skated up from behind him and seemed to knock him off balance or something.  It was a weird play, not quite dirty but certainly unnecessary, unless you're one of the Stars fans who boo'd Perry every time he touched the puck.

After having been held to only nine shots on goal through the first 40 minutes, Dallas directed 11 at Andersen in the third, desperately looking to tie and win the game, but we were off to overtime.

Overtime Recap:

At the end of an incredibly long shift to start overtime, Perry flung a puck on net and Nate Thompson deflected it past Lehtonen. DUCKS WIN 2-1!!!!! And the Stars manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory... again.

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The Good: Corey Perry! I predicted that he would shake off the rust tonight (even though I also predicted that we wouldn't really need him, but we can ignore that part!).

The Bad: Unfortunately, Ryan Getzlaf has not shaken off the rust yet. He only had one shot on goal the entire night.

The Ugly: The offense (excluding Corey Perry). The Ducks were effective at smothering Dallas' offense especially in the second period, but frequently struggled to put their own plays together.

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Next Game: Sunday, November 2 at 5:00 PM @ Colorado Avalanche