Ryan Getzlaf felt the heartbreak of the dangers of open ice mere minutes into Monday night's 3-on-3 overtime against the Arizona Coyotes, misfiring on a drop pass that lead to the winning goal from Mikkel Bodker 1:18 into the free hockey period.
Ducks vs. Coyotes 2015 results: 3 things we learned in Arizona’s 4-3 OT victory over Anaheim
The Coyotes come out on top in overtime in a key Pacific Division matchup.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks had fought their way back into the contest on a late goal from Sami Vatanen that tied the game with less than nine minutes to play, but a come-from-behind win was not to be. Arizona broke Anaheim's four game winning streak with a 4-3 overtime victory.
For the first 20 minutes, it seemed Anaheim would skate away with the game, as two early goals in just under a minute and a half apart gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission. The Ducks let the Coyotes back in the game in the second period, allowing three goals to two rookie players Anaheim might be familiar with by now -- Max Domi and Anthony Duclair.
Domi ties the game pic.twitter.com/4iUPRitH8r
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 10, 2015 It was a lifeless second period for Anaheim, despite having 11 shots on goal in the middle frame. The lapse in play made room for the opportunistic Coyotes to take the lead, and the visitors seemingly put the game out of reach for the Ducks with Domi’s last-second goal that made it 3-2 moments before the final intermission.
So the Ducks have now been outscored 20-5 in the dreaded middle period. You can change the players but apparently you can't change the game.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) November 10, 2015 Vatanen’s late tying goal at 11:43 of the third period came off a hell of an individual effort, as the Finn deked around two Coyotes defenders to set up a pass. He then poked home the returning feed on a diving play that ensured at least one point for the Ducks, in a game that had looked lost after the end of the second period.
However, one defensive mistake is all it takes to seal a team’s fate in overtime. Getzlaf’s broken up backwards pass was the only chance Arizona would need to keep their spot in the Pacific Division safe for another day.
it's not very clear to see the attempted drop pass in the GIFs I posted, so here it is pic.twitter.com/nMALJMrsHt
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 10, 2015 One bad period and one bad drop pass squandered away Anaheim’s chance to climb up another rung in their division after their abysmal start to the year. The Ducks had the opportunity to overtake the Coyotes for the fourth spot in the Pacific, but the overtime victory keeps the division stable for now. Anaheim has the chance to make up more ground with two more games in this homestand, but the Ducks are most certainly regretting leaving that second point on the table.
3 things we learned
1. Ryan Kesler's 14-game goal drought is over
After a slow start out of the gate, Ryan Kesler's goalless streak of games to begin the season has finally broken. Fourteen games is a long time to go without a goal for a star such as Kesler, but the former Vancouver Canucks player has finally broken through on the scoresheet as Kesler's first period tally doubled the Ducks lead to 2-0 just over a minute after Chris Stewart's marker. The forward assisted on Stewart's power play goal and had more than a few good chances on the net throughout the match. Now that Kesler has his first out of the way, scoring should come much easier for the forward.
Kesler goal, 2-0 Ducks pic.twitter.com/xTVj6Ey5Sc
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 10, 2015 2. Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, Duck Hunters
What a better way to break a scoring slump than playing a team you’ve had success against earlier in the year? Both Domi and Duclair were fighting off pointless streaks heading into Monday’s match against Anaheim, and both broke out in big ways. The tandem contributed to three of the four goals in the win, continuing their dominance against the Ducks this season. Last time the two teams played, Duclair posted a hat trick and Domi put up one goal and one assist. If this is just the beginning for the duo, Anaheim better watch out in the years to come.
Duclair's goal stops a seven-game pointless streak for the rookie. Four of his six goals have come against Anaheim.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) November 10, 2015 3. Wrist shots can be deadly against goalie masks
when a wrist shot deforms your goalie mask pic.twitter.com/URlzcGOzCY
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 10, 2015 Ducks’ netminder Andersen found this out the hard way after a wrist shot cracked his goaltending mask in the second period.
See More:
