Koivu’s Hat Trick Leads Ducks to Victory Over Dallas Stars

An exciting game tonight between the Anaheim Ducks and the Dallas Stars. Both teams were looking to gain some momentum to grab some points for the playoff run. The Ducks were victorious, winning with a final score of 5-2.

Teemu Selanne played his 1300th career game, grabbing 2 assists and a +3 rating. Fellow finn Saku Koivu also scored his second career hat trick (including the game winning goal). Matt Beleskey also scored his first goal of the season.

The biggest positive was Jeff Deslauriers, who came up big tonight when the Ducks were in dire need of a solid goaltender. With Jonas Hiller injured most of us were worried that the Ducks would be dominated having to use rookie goaltenders. He stopped 24/26 shots and came up big in key moments.

The Stars kept it close when Steve Ott and Alex Goligoski scored goals early in the seconds only a minute apart. They outshot and had most of the control, but couldn’t find a way passed the Ducks.

Game Recap:

First Period-

• Jeff Deslauriers vs. Kari Lehtonen tonight
• 1:30 –  Ducks get up early off a Robidas turnover, as Lydman takes a slap shot from the left point that Koivu redirects (DAL-0, ANA-1).
• Deslauriers making some good saves early on.
• Tonight is Teemu Selanne’s 1300th game.

Second Period-

• Ott, who looked injured at the end of the first, is back out there
• 9:22 – Sbisa  runs down the puck outside the left wing circle and immediately fires it on net. Lehtonen didn’t realize it was coming (DAL-0, ANA-2).
• Stars currently outshooting the Ducks 16-9
• Perry with a 1-on-1, tries a flashy backwards between the legs move, falls on his face.
• Deslaurier again making key saves, very impressive

Third Period-

• 1:39 – Not long after the Ducks power play runs out, Steve Ott takes a pass from Ryder at the top of the left wing circle and rifles a shot past Deslauriers.(DAL-1, ANA-2)
• 2:43 – Aaaand it’s tied, as Goligoski takes a pass from Ott in the right wing circle and wrists a shot over Deslaurier’s glove (DAL-2, ANA-2).
• Some good goaltending tonight
• 9:32  – Selanne tears down the left wing then passes to Koivu, who cuts to the backhand and slips it under Lehtonen. Second of the game for him (DAL-2, ANA-3).
• Hagman and Perry both have great chances, but no dice
• 14:40 – Cogliano races down right wing and fires a shot that rebounds toward Beleskey, who knocks it in It’s his first of the year (DAL-2, ANA-4)
• Lehtonen to the bench with 1:30 left
• 19:06 – Selanne picks the puck up at the red line and knows exactly where Koivu is, as he drops it to fellow Finn, Koivu sends it into the empty net from just behind the blue line. THATS A HAT TRICK!!! (DAL-2, ANA-5)