Anaheim Ducks shock Vancouver Canucks with a 4-2 win - NHL Update
The Anaheim Ducks continue to surprise doubters with another victory this time over Western Conference ex-table toppers, the Vancouver Canucks, who were beaten by 4-2 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Ducks have won five games out of seven and are looking like they will make a late charge for the playoff spot.
Anaheim’s record has now improved to 15-22-7 with 37 points, which puts them way ahead of Columbus Blue Jackets, who are at the bottom of the conference, just 14 points adrift of the Minnesota Wild, occupying the final postseason entry position.
The defeat brings down the Canucks to second spot in the West, one point behind the Chicago Blackhawks, with a 28-15-3 record and 59 points.
The home loss against Anaheim Ducks was unprecedented for the Canadians while Canucks' coach, Alain Vigneault, was less than impressed with his team’s efforts.
"Defensively I stopped counting the turnovers after a while", Vigneault said.
"I think it was pretty evident to anybody watching the game or at the game that it didn't seem like we had a lot of jump and energy tonight".
"I looked up (at the scoreboard) in the second period with five minutes to go and I said 'they only have five shots on goal?” Anaheim Ducks’ coach, Bruce Boudreau, said. "This is unheard of for the Canucks".
The impressive Ducks welcomed back veteran, Jason Blake, back to the squad after a long layoff and Blake scored two goals in his first game back on the ice to help the Ducks take home a memorable victory.
Ducks were on song from the start as Nick Bonino gave Anaheim the lead at 6:48 in the first period, as the forward putt in the rebound from Jason Blake’s powerful shot.
Canucks however, came back into the game.
At 10:52, with the Ducks a man down, Cody Hodgson scored the equaliser on the power play, beating Ducks’ goaltender, Jonas Hiller, who made 21 saves during the game.
Anaheim, in the second period, came out with purpose and a tired Canucks' side helped their cause even more as Ducks took a two goal lead.
Ducks’ forward, Bobby Ryan, put the puck past Vancouver's goaltender, Roberto Luongo, to regain his team’s advantage.
Luongo made 30 saves during the game but his efforts were not enough to keep out the increasingly confident Ducks.
Jason Blake scored his first goal of the night with a brilliant solo effort to put the Ducks up by two goals at 13:08.
The third period saw Blake beat Luongo again, this time on the power play at 12:40, and put the game to bed.
Mason Raymond scored a consolation goal for the Canucks, late in the third period, but it was too little too late.
Canucks will look to get over this setback on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings, while Anaheim Ducks face a tough opponent, the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.
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