Apr 7, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry (10) celebrates after scoring the decisive goal in a shootout against the Los Angeles Kings at the Honda Center. The Ducks defeated the Kings 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Anaheim, CA – The Los Angeles Kings peppered Viktor Fasth with 38 shots. He made just enough saves for the Ducks to win it in overtime, 4-3. The Ducks had 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 leads but the Kings fought back to tie it every time. With Ryan Getzlaf out for the second straight game, the Ducks got contributions from seven different players in a clutch division win.

The first period got off with a bang when Kyle Palmieri took the puck to the net and got behind the defense. Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier poke checked him, but the puck then hit off Palmieri’s skate and into the net, 1-0 ANA. Shortly after the goal, the two teams began to trade power plays for the next 12 minutes of play. The first period was full of chances, hits, and plenty of chants between the two fan bases in attendance. Dustin Brown might have had the best chance for the Kings in the opening frame when he had a shorthanded break away, but Fasth made the pad save. Brown was later decked to the ice by Francois Beauchemin as he was caught with his head down.

Apr 7, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks goalie Viktor Fasth (30) during the game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Honda Center. The Ducks defeated the Kings 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In the early parts of the second period, the two teams traded power plays, again. However, this time the Kings were able to connect on power play when new Duck Matthew Lombardi was sent off for tripping. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty beat Fasth glove side with a slap shot with a screen in front. Halfway through the period, Brown and Corey Perry collided at the Ducks blue line as they both gave each other a little pestering. Brown would lose his helmet, but nothing would come of it. With less than two minutes left in the period, the Ducks would take advantage of the Kings having the long change. Andrew Cogliano would hit Perry as he went in all alone on Bernier and sniped it low far side for a 2-1 lead. However, the lead would be short lived as the Kings would strike back just over a minute later. Jeff Carter would deflect a centering pass out of mid-air from Mike Richards through Fasth’s five hole to tie it at 2. The Kings really started to get more chances and control of the flow of the game.

Once again, there was a power play early on in a period. Carter would get sent off for high-sticking and the Ducks would capitalize quickly to take the lead right back in the first few minutes of the third. Sheldon Souray would take a wide open point shot and Matt Beleskey got a tip in front. Bernier made the save but Beleskey would be right there to tap home the rebound. The Ducks would really start to sit back and let the Kings do what they wanted in their zone. After some pretty decent chances, the Kings would finally cash in with just under 4 minutes left. Brown put home a rebound from Anze Kopitar driving towards the net.  Fasth would hold his ground late in the third to force an overtime.

Kyle Palmieri probably had the best chance of what was probably one of the more boring overtimes I’ve seen in a while. He was all by himself deep in the zone and tried to stuff it home but Bernier didn’t leave the post. The boring overtime set up what turned out to be an electric shootout. Bobby Ryan started the shootout with a goal as he deked Bernier and went to his backhand for the goal. Richards shot first for LA and Fasth kept the paddle down as Richards tried to go five hole. Saku Koivu was up next for the Ducks and he would pot one when he deked Bernier out of his shorts with a simple backhand-forehand move. Carter would answer for the Kings as he would come flying into the zone and roof one with his backhand.  Perry would step up next with a chance for dub. What does he do every time? SNIPE. That’s what he did as he flicked a wrist shot off the post and in as the Ducks take it in the shootout.

A standing-room-only crowd got to see a hell of a hockey game tonight. It was definitely a playoff atmosphere. It was a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat game. There was a lot of talk about how these two teams have never met in the playoffs. Well, hopefully they meet for the first time this year because a seven game series between these two teams would be amazing. Beleskey continues to have a solid season. I thought he was really good tonight and it was his second multi-point game of the season. Perry was also good, as usual. Emerson Etem‘s speed was once again very visible. So was Cogliano. Ryan was playing in the middle tonight with Getzlaf out again. I thought he kind of faded as the night went along. He drove to the net early in the game and got into it with a couple of Kings players, but until he scored in the shootout, I didn’t think he had that much impact on the game. This also was one of Palmieri’s best games of the season. He really displayed his knack for finding the net tonight. The Ducks take a 2-1 lead in the Freeway Face-Off series this season, with just one more matchup coming.

Three Stars:

1.  Corey Perry (G, 4 S)

2.  Matt Beleskey (G, A, 3 Hits)

3.  Dustin Brown (G, A, +1, 5 S, 5 Hits)

The Ducks play tomorrow night when the Edmonton Oilers and much maligned rookie Justin Schultz make their first appearance in Honda Center this season. That one should be interesting!

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(via kings.nhl.com)

Anaheim, CA – Act three of the annual Freeway Faceoff starts tonight at Honda Center. The Anaheim Ducks (25-8-5) and the Los Angeles Kings (22-13-3) meet up as the Kings try to close the door on the Ducks’ Pacific Division lead. The first two meeting were split with the Ducks winning the first game, 7-4, and the Kings winning the more recent game, 5-2. The Kings are coming off of a schooling of the young Edmonton Oilers last night, while the Ducks are coming off the three game set with the Dallas Stars, taking two of the three.

Apr 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center  Jeff Carter(77) shoots the puck past Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom (32) at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Conn Smythe Winner Jonathan Quick was the main reason why the Kings made such an incredible run to the Stanley Cup last season. He put up insane numbers and won numerous low scoring games. However, it can be very hard to return to that form after such an amazing season. Quick is proof of that. After posting a sub-2.00 GAA last year, his GAA has risen to 2.49. Still, not bad, but not as good. If you expected him to continue that level of play, you might need some psychiatric help. He’s still a very good goaltender, though. His backup, however, has been stellar when given the chance. It’s been well documented, Jonathan Bernier‘s young career so far. He’s been called one of the top young goaltending prospects in the world. He’s been part of numerous trade rumors, yet somehow has remained in Los Angeles. He has posted 2011-Jonathan Quick-like numbers. Almost exactly the same as Quick’s numbers last year. Bernier has posted a 1.77 GAA and a .927 SV % in 12 games.

The Kings have been one of the hotter teams in the league as of late. The reason? It might all be because of Jeff Carter. The former Flyer/Blue Jacket has really shined in Los Angeles this year. He is currently 4th in the league in goals (22), trailing only Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares. and has scored a goal in four straight games. He has one of the best wrist shots in the league, but he has been known to be fairly inaccurate at times. Another star, Anze Kopitar, has been phenomenal. He leads the team in assists (24) and points (34). He is also second on the team in plus/minus (+16). Justin Williams has also continued to be a solid offensive weapon for the Kings. The two-time 30-goal scorer with the Carolina Hurricanes in the mid-2000s, has regained his form with the Kings the past couple years after having some major injury problems from 2007-2010. He currently has 10 G and 18 A for 28 P with a plus/minus of +18. He ranks tied for 3rd in goals with Kopitar, tied for 2nd in assists with Slava Voynov, 2nd in points and 1st in plus/minus.

Veterans Dustin Brown and Mike Richards are two of the best hard-working, two-way forwards in the entire league. They both play in any situation and rarely get outworked. I’ve been a very big Richards fan since he first came up with the Flyers. Power forward Dustin Penner is currently on IR with a lower body injury. Jarret Stoll continues to be a pest to every team he plays. He is one of the best faceoff guys in the league. Of course, the Kings have one very tough guy who will take on anyone in youngster Jordan Nolan. On the blue line, the Kings have newly acquired Robyn Regehr to help settle things down in front of Quick. They also acquired Keaton Ellerby earlier on in the season to do the same thing. Both were brought in to help in the absence of Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene who are on IR. Voynov, as I stated earlier, is having a fantastic season. The offensive defenseman has registered 5 G and 18 A for 23 P. Another young offensive defenseman having a good season is 24-year-old Jake Muzzin who has 6 G and 8 A for 14 P. Of course I don’t need to say much about the best defenseman among the Kings’ group, Drew Doughty. He isn’t one of the best defenseman in the league and the world for no reason. Rob Scuderi and Alec Martinez round out the defensive corps for the Kings.

A big storyline for the Kings last season was their lack of scoring. They finished the regular season ranked 29th in the league in scoring with 2.29 GPG. Well, this season they’re ranked 7th in the league in scoring with 2.90 GPG, right below the Ducks who are 6th in the league in scoring with 2.95 GPG. The Kings are also 7th in the league in goals allowed per game at 2.39 GA/G. That number doesn’t look nearly as good as it was last season when they ranked 2nd in the league in GA/G at 2.07. Along with the Ducks, the Kings are also in the top ten in 5-on-5 goals for/goals against, 3rd (1.34) and 6th (1.27) respectively. The Kings’ powerplay is also improved, just like the offense. Last year they were a middle of the road unit, this season they are slightly better this year. They are scoring at 19.6% (11th) this year, up from 17.0% (17th) last year. Meanwhile, the Kings are struggling on the penalty kill. Last season they killed off penalties at a rate of 87.0% (4th) and this season they are killing off penalties at a rate of 81.6% (16th).

April 3, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Andrew Cogliano (7) moves the puck against the defense of Dallas Stars center Cody Eakin (20) during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Ducks looked very good in the first two games against the Stars in their three-game series. Then they fell apart a bit in the third game. They tied the game at one, but then just completely lost their game. Dallas capitalized and took advantage of having the better game. Andrew Cogliano scored yet again in that third game as he continues to have a very good offensive season. He is currently tied with Corey Perry for second on the team in goals (12). Cogliano now has 2 points in the last 2 games and Perry now has 6 points in the last 8 games.Bobby Ryan also is hot of late with 3 points in the last 3 games. Defensemen Cam Fowler and Sheldon Souray are also experiencing some nice play lately with both of them contributing offensively. With Jonas Hiller apparently suffering from an illness, I think Viktor Fasth will get the nod again. Fasth is also playing very well in his last three games with a record of 2-1-0 and a 1.67 GAA and a .934 SV %. It is still uncertain at this point whether or not captain Ryan Getzlaf will be playing tonight. He’s arguably the most valuable player to this team, so I don’t think it would be a bad thing to have him sit until he’s completely healthy. That might not be easy for Getzy to do, but I think it will be better for the team in the end for him to get completely healthy.

Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us!

Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!