Ducks avoid total meltdown, beat defending champs in SO

The Anaheim Ducks pulled out a valiant 3-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the shootout on Tuesday night.

The showdown, as part of the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy, pitted the upstart Ducks against the wily veteran Panthers. The Ducks held a 2-0 lead in the third period before the Panthers rallied to tie the game.

The lopsided shot count of 33-17 in favor of Florida showed just how much the Panthers dominated the game. Florida paid dearly for their mistakes early in the game, but recovered to pressure Anaheim until pulling even.

The Ducks capitalized on an awful misplay during a second-period shorthanded chance, leading to Leo Carlsson getting a shortie. Here’s a look:

Carlsson showed no mercy as two Panthers players bowled into one another. That mishap created the opportunity for the Ducks to cash in.

Then, the Ducks took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play, leading to their two-goal lead. Here’s the goal:

Again, the Ducks took full advantage of the disarray that was the Panthers’ penalty kill. Cutter Gauthier rifled a shot that made the game 2-0.

Things looked well in hand, but the Ducks just couldn’t hang on. The Panthers’ attack was too much to push back. The Ducks appeared in full meltdown mode when Sam Reinhart redirected a shot from Seth Jones with about three minutes to go in the third period.

But it was Lukas Dostal, the game’s second star, who showed poise amid the onslaught that was the Panthers’ push.

Dostal the hero for Ducks against Panthers

Let’s be honest. The Panthers outplayed the Ducks virtually all night. The Ducks were fortunate enough to capitalize on two crucial mistakes by Florida. But past those mistakes, the Ducks were on their heels the entire night.

The game could have been a decisive victory for the Panthers if not for Lukas Dostal. Dostal was fantastic on the night, stopping 31 of 33 shots. But it was this save in the shootout that sealed the victory for Anaheim:

Dostal made a great save on a pretty good move by Evan Rodrigues. The Ducks' goalie stuck with Rodrigues until the last minute. The move was good, but Dostal did a stellar job of closing any opening Rodrigues may have had to tuck the puck home.

Overall, the Ducks’ resilience was the difference. The Ducks came away with two valuable points from Florida and will look to continue showing why they’re no longer a rebuilding franchise.