Anaheim Ducks Winning Streak Snapped By San Jose Sharks
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout the Anaheim Ducks’ ten game winning streak, there was that one defining moment that told you they were going to extend their steak. So no matter how bad last night’s game went, when Patrick Maroon fired in his third goal of the season you thought that a comeback was truly possible.
The comeback was not to be, and after going over a month without a regulation loss, the Ducks finally dropped one inside of overtime, snapping their ten game winning streak.
The San Jose Sharks were too much from the get go, and when they jumped quickly ahead smothered the Ducks with their play in the neutral zone.
Goals from Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Bracken Kearns – the Burns goal coming just over a minute into the game – downed the Ducks who lost for the first time since their overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on December 3.
"I think in the first period, the first five minutes. They came out flying, and we knew they were going to do that. They took it right out of us. They came out hitting and we were flat-footedMaroon on the Turning Point of the Game"
Burns started the scoring off with his twelfth goal of the season, firing home a loose puck in front of the net 1:17 into the game. You had a feeling the goal was coming, as Maroon said the Sharks came out firing and the Ducks weren’t ready.
Couture answered with his eleventh of the season – and 100th of his career – on a breakaway after blowing by lone defender back Francois Beauchemin, who had no chance being caught flat footed.
Kearns added to make it 3-0, another lose puck in front of the net, and appearing to seal the fate of the game.
Maroon’s goal came late in the third, and after head coach Bruce Boudreau decided to mix his lines up and place Maroon with Corey Perry and Mathieu Perreault. The goal and the line shuffle didn’t yield any more results, as 3-1 would be the final score.
The Ducks will get a shot at immediate revenge, as the two teams will do battle once again, New Year’s Eve, this time at the Honda Center.
Anthony Murphy is the Editor at Pucks of a Feather. You can reach him by email amurphy540@pullinamurph.com or follow him on Twitter @AMurphyTFC.
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