Ducks 3, Wild 2
ANAHEIM -- Not that one of the best teams in the NHL needed a wake-up call, but it's safe to say the Anaheim Ducks didn't take too well to their beat down at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings to start the week.
Because since then the Ducks have been on a tear.
That was bad news for the Minnesota Wild, who couldn't overcome the Ducks' furious start in a 3-2 Anaheim victory in front of an announced crowd of 15,264 at The Honda Center.
The Wild made it interesting in the third period after falling behind 3-0, getting two goals to make it a 3-2 game and had a chance to tie it up when the Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin was called for tripping with 3:17 remaining to put the Wild on the power play.
That man advantage grew to two when Minnesota pulled its goalie, but the Ducks successfully killed the power play, then survived a frantic final minute to close out the victory.
Even if the Kings' Monday victory was a catalyst, Anaheim was playing extremely well before the loss, so it's not like a rock-bottom moment was needed.
But considering how the Ducks hammered the Nashville Predators 5-1 Wednesday, then made quick work of the Wild 48 hours later, suffice to say the loss to their Southern California rivals got their attention.
The Ducks how now won eight straight at home for their best home start (7-1-0) in franchise history.
Anaheim's dominance at home is tied into their ability to get off to fast starts. That didn't change Friday as the Ducks struck first when Ryan Getzlaf skated free the length of the ice, gathered in a pass from Corey Perry in front of the Minnesota net and fired a shot past Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper to put the Ducks up 1-0 4:45 into the game.
It was Getlaf's seventh goal and team-leading 22nd point.
The Ducks were just getting started, as Teemu Selanne scored on an assist from Luca Sbisa to make it 2-0 with 8:59 remaining in the period.
The Ducks tagged on another goal in the second period when Matt Beleskey found the net on assists by Daniel Winnik and Andrew Cogliano to make it 3-0.
Minnesota scored 29 seconds into the third period when Kyle Brodziak beat Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller, who was screened out in front of the net, to make it 3-1.
Devin Setoguchi made it 3-2 9:23 into the third on assists from Mike Rupp and Ryan Suter. But thanks to a fast start by the Ducks, it wasn't enough.
NOTES: The Ducks' 15-3-1 and 31-point start is the best start in club history, beating the 13-1-4 start for 30 points in 2006-07. ... The Ducks finished February with an 11-2-0 record to match the franchise record for most wins in a single month. ... The Wild like to keep things close, with 13 of their first 20 games have been decided by one goal, including eight of the last 10. ... The Wild wrapped up the fourth of nine sets of back-to-back games this season, and while they were 4-0 in the initial leg coming in they were 0-4 in the second leg.
