Anaheim Ducks Win Streak Ends with 6-2 Loss to Toronto Maple Leafs
Dec 16, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks left wing Patrick Maroon (19) goes into the corner after the puck against Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Stephane Robidas (12) at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Ducks 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Anaheim Ducks had their seven game winning streak snapped in a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was their first loss in the month of December and first since a 6-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks on November 29th. The Ducks’ record dropped to 21-7-5, but the team still leads the NHL with 47 points in the standings.
The Ducks received the first power play of the game after Peter Holland was called for closing his hand on the puck in the faceoff circle at the 11:16 mark. Anaheim was unable to generate anything from the man advantage and struggled to move the puck efficiently. The Maple Leafs then opened the scoring after a scramble in front of the Ducks net allowed Tyler Bozak to get to a loose puck and shovel a backhander past Frederik Andersen at the 15:12 mark of the opening period. It was Bozak’s 12th goal of the year, and James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel each picked up an assist on the goal as well.
59 seconds later, the Ducks were given a second power play on a very marginal penalty called against van Riemsdyk for goaltender interference. The Ducks looked much better on their second chance with the power play, but were once again unable to find a way to beat Jonathan Bernier. The opening 20 minutes concluded with the Ducks trailing the Maple Leafs 1-0, but with the Ducks leading in shots on goal by a count of 17-11.
The Maple Leafs would add to their lead early in the 2nd period as Joffrey Lupul was able to fire a one-timer past Andersen just 1:31 into the second frame. Andrew Cogliano had an excellent chance a couple minutes after the Lupul goal, as he got to a rebound and put it underneath Bernier, but the puck just slid past the far post, and the Maple Leafs dodged another bullet.
The Maple Leafs would get the first power play of the second period, and their first of the game, as Jakob Silfverberg was called for interference at the 7:58 mark. Andersen robbed Phil Kessel early in the power play, but the Maple Leafs couldn’t generate anything else and the Ducks were able to escape that power play without any further damage. The Maple Leafs would get yet another power play in the second period as Tim Jackman was called for hooking. However, it would be the Ducks that would capitalize on Toronto’s man advantage, as Sami Vatanen joined Ryan Kesler on a shorthanded 2-on-1 breakaway and beat Bernier with a wrist shot. Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf were given the assists on Vatanen’s shorthanded goal, his ninth goal of the year and the team’s fifth shorthanded goal of the year. The second period would end 2-1 in favor of the Maple Leafs, with the Ducks still dominating the shot count 31-16.
The third period began with the Ducks needing one goal to tie. Dion Phaneuf and Getzlaf would take coincidental minors 2:10 into the period, but nothing would come of those. However, the game would quickly change and favor the Maple Leafs after David Booth was able to capitalize on a wraparound attempt at the 4:37 mark, just sneaking it between Andersen’s pad and the post.
With the Ducks now trailing by two in the final 20 minutes, they began to push forward and leave the back end a bit more open, and it didn’t take long for that strategy to cost them yet another goal. Nazem Kadri fired a quick wrist shot past Andersen, and within 51 seconds, the deficit had gone from one to three for the Ducks. At this point, Bruce Boudreau had seen enough from Andersen and decided to pull the goalie, putting Ilya Bryzgalov in the game.
Kesler would answer the Kadri goal at 8:35 of the third period, tipping the puck past Bernier on a shot from Kyle Palmieri. Matt Beleskey was given the other assist on the goal, and the deficit was cut back down to two. Patrick Maroon was called for an unsportmanlike conduct penalty after arguing an offsides call, and the Leafs were quick to capitalize on the power play, with Kessel burying his 16th goal of the season, extending Toronto’s lead to 5-2. After a quick scuffle between Phaneuf and Jackman, Kessel got a breakaway and that was where the game, and the seven game winning streak for Anaheim, would end.
The three stars for the Ducks are up next.
Dec 16, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks left wing Matt Beleskey (39) controls the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri (43) pursues him at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Third Star: Matt Beleskey, LW (1 A, 1 SOG, 2 Hits, 14:08 TOI)
Beleskey tallied an assist on Kesler’s goal in the third period and seemed to be all over the ice tonight, making plays wherever he could for the Ducks. Unfortunately, even with his strong effort on the ice tonight, the team around him was pretty slow, and he was unable to capitalize on the opportunities he had and created throughout the game. Beleskey’s line was one of the better lines on the ice for the Ducks tonight, but even with that being said, the Maple Leafs outplayed the Ducks for the majority of the final 40 minutes, and it showed on the scoreboard.
Nov 18, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen (45) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Second Star: Sami Vatanen, D (1 G, 2 SOG, 24:19 TOI)
Vatanen got the Ducks rolling when the rest of the team couldn’t seem to finish a chance by scoring on a shorthanded breakaway with Kesler. Outside of the goal for Vatanen, he had two blocked shots and had 24:19 of ice time, which was three more minutes than what the next closest Duck played (Getzlaf – 21:01). Sami had a good eye for the puck and was moving it efficiently, and had the rest of the team been finishing on their chances, it is entirely possible that he could have had at least two more assists on the night. All in all, Vatanen played a strong game, and Boudreau rewarded him with the ice time to show for it.
Dec 16, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) is congratulated on his goal by defenseman Clayton Stoner (3) and left wing Matt Beleskey (39) against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Ducks 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
First Star: Ryan Kesler, C (1 G, 1 A, +1, 7 SOG, 5 Hits, 19:38 TOI)
Kesler seemed to be the only one at times trying to get to the front of the net to create chances. His breakaway with Vatanen in the second period that led to the shorthanded goal was mostly set up by Getzlaf, but it was a great pass from Kesler to Vatanen nonetheless, and a well deserved assist. His goal was a direct result of his desire to be in front of the net as much as possible, and his tip-in goal gave the Ducks life shortly after it seemed the Maple Leafs had put the game on ice.
Dec 16, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (15) talks to right wing Devante Smith-Pelly (12) as they warm up before playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks will continue their Canadian road trip on Thursday night when they take on the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, but they have won their last three contests, including a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The Ducks will need to hope that they are on top of their game if they are to rebound.
The Canadiens will be on the fourth game of a five-game homestand. They have won the first three and scored at least three goals in each contest. Max Pacioretty leads the Canadiens with 13 goals and 25 points, and he is the only Montreal player with double digit goals. David Desharnais has a team-leading 15 assists. P.K. Subban has eight goals and 22 points on the season while logging a team-high 25:05 in ice time this season. Subban signed an eight-year, $72 million extension in the offseason. The game on Thursday is the first half of a back-to-back, as the Ducks will also face the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre on Friday.
Point Streaks, General Notes:
Getzlaf extended his point streak to three games with the assist he tallied on Vatanen’s shorthanded goal in the second period. The assist was Getzlaf’s 34th point of the regular season so far, tying him for 8th in the league overall in scoring with Kessel. Kesler also added to his scoring total with a goal and an assist, putting him at 26 points on the year. Kesler now has points in seven on eight games. Silfverberg, Ben Lovejoy, and Nate Thompson all saw their two-game point streaks snapped tonight as well.
The Ducks finished the night an underwhelming 32/69 (46.4%) in the faceoff circle. Getzlaf won only five of his 13 attempts (38.5%). The Ducks main centers in Kesler and Getzlaf will have to make sure they are consistently performing well in the faceoff circle if the Ducks are going to capitalize offensively, especially on special teams. There is a lot to build on and learn from for the Ducks here, and hopefully they use this as fuel to come out stronger and faster on Thursday night in Montreal.