Ducks @ Hurricanes RECAP: Solid Steel

Coming into Friday night, the Anaheim Ducks had earned their last two wins against Juuse Saros and the Nashville Predators. They tried for a second straight victory against James Reimer and the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. The Ducks, also playing the second game in two nights, countered with Ryan Miller between the pipes. Dallas Eakins would scratch Michael Del Zotto and Chase De Leo. Meanwhile, Carolina held out Justin Williams and the injured Dougie Hamilton.

First Period

Jakob Silfverberg tested Reimer early, while Miller gloved a Joel Edmundson slap shot. Miller made a pad save on Martin Necas, but Carolina would get on the board when Sebastian Aho scored his 24th of the season by setting up in the right circle and tipping a long Edmundson shot past the Anaheim netminder. The secondary assist was awarded to Teuvo Teravainen and the score was 1-0.

Reimer followed by denying another Silfverberg bid before the television timeout. Ryan Getzlaf did a nice job to intercept a pass in the Carolina zone, but instead of taking a shot made a fruitless pass attempt to Rickard Rakell. Rakell was then sent to the penalty box at 8:51 for tripping Jordan Staal. Anaheim managed to kill the minor, bringing the Carolina drought with the man advantage to 17. Afterward, Miller stopped a solid scoring chance by Staal. With 3:30 left in the first frame, Carolina had already reached 15 shots. However, Anaheim would tie it up with under two minutes to go. Korbinian Holzer made an outlet pass to Getzlaf, who centered the puck for Erik Gudbranson. The defenseman had lots of time to get off a shot that beat Reimer five-hole. According to Gudbranson: “Everyone on their team got puck focused” on Getzlaf.

Reimer actually did well to keep things tied as he turned away Derek Grant’s wrister in the waning seconds.

Second Period

The Ducks received their first power play opportunity thanks to a Staal minor for high sticking. The Ducks had improved to 22.4% over the last 17 games on the power play but did not convert this one. Grant had a chance from in tight, but Reimer was equal to the task. Fortunately for Anaheim, Miller denied Aho’s shorthanded attempt on the breakaway. Fowler had the last shot opportunity before the Hurricanes killed the penalty. Jacob Larsson did a good job backchecking against Nino Niederreiter to prevent a dangerous chance. Getzlaf was whistled for slashing, but the Canes couldn’t convert the power play. After it ended, an odd-man rush led to a Silfverberg shot that Reimer handled. Gudbranson got another crack at a goal but couldn’t sneak it through.

Daniel Sprong tried to outwait Reimer and got Jaccob Slavin to make a snow angel in the process, but Reimer turned him away. Aho tried to one-time a shot past Miller but couldn’t connect with rubber. Gudbranson was hoping to sneak one inside the post, but again Reimer was there. Edmundson got sent to the box for holding with 14.5 left in the stanza and wasn’t happy about the call.

Third Period

Jones fired a strong wrist shot on the power play, but the score remained tied. Getzlaf took a shot after a bad turnover by Edmundson, but Reimer stopped that. Aho’s wraparound try was snuffed out by Miller. Rakell redirected Fowler’s bid on net, but it remained a 1-1 contest. Teravainen forced Miller to make a tough save, then Hampus Lindholm’s blast was frozen by Reimer. Gudbranson blocked a Warren Foegele attempt and the puck bounced out of play. Rakell made a valiant effort, but his shot hit Reimer’s goal stick. The Hurricanes nearly scored in the final 15 seconds, but Miller sprawled to stop Brock McGinn and lost his stick in the process.

Overtime

Aho, Slavin, and Teravainen would begin the extra session for the Hurricanes against Lindholm, Adam Henrique, and Rakell. Slavin got the first shot but Miller challenged him and made the stop. The Hurricanes had a 3-on-2 opportunity moments later but couldn’t stay onside. Next, Silfverberg took the puck from the attacking Andrei Svechnikov and fed it ahead to Sam Steel. Steel received the puck at center ice, skated toward the Carolina net with Jake Gardiner chasing him, and flipped it past Reimer. It was just the second Anaheim win in the overtime period this season and first career game winner for Steel. As Steel put it: “Great pass by Silfvy, just trying to get it above the pad.”

It wasn’t a masterpiece start to finish, but the Ducks suppressed the Carolina offense to a surprising degree after the first period. Miller saw his record improve to 5-5-2 while the Ducks are now 19-24-5. The Hurricanes, who occupy the first Wild Card spot in the East, are now 27-18-3.

By The Numbers

Shots on Goal – ANA: 37 CAR: 26

5v5 CF% – ANA: 57.58% CAR: 42.42%

High Danger Chances For – ANA: 11 CAR: 11

Heat Map and Stat Card below

**All stats courtesy of naturalstattrick.com

**Stat Card courtesy of hockeystatcards.com

3 Stars (as voted by the media)

1. Sam Steel - The only Duck not named Getzlaf to score during overtime this season.

2. Ryan Miller - Made 20 saves and really kept Anaheim in it early on.

3. Sebastian Aho - Not only scored, but looked like the best Carolina skater.

Next Up

After the All-Star break, the Ducks will visit the San Jose Sharks on Monday, January 27 at 7:30 PM Pacific Time.