Ducks Get Back On Track, Edge Wild 3-2
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf each had a power-play goal and an assist, and Teemu Selanne totaled three assists to help the Anaheim Ducks hold on to beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 Thursday and snap a three-game winless streak.
Bobby Ryan scored, too, and Jonas Hiller made 23 saves, giving the Ducks a sparkling night of production from their stars on the second stop on their seven-game road tour.
Jared Spurgeon and Matt Cullen scored to give the Wild's sagging power play a lift, but Cullen's goal on a deflection of Mikko Koivu's shot came with 6:06 remaining in the game with the Wild trailing by two -- too little too late.
Wild coach Mike Yeo mixed up the lines again, trying to generate more of an attack, with the rugged Cal Clutterbuck moving up to skate with struggling stars Koivu and Dany Heatley. Devin Setoguchi was down on the second line again.
The Wild had four days between games to work on the power play, and they went 2 for 5. Spurgeon's goal ended an 0-for-20 dry spell for a team that entered the game with the fourth-worst conversion rate in the league. They're 5 for 36 this season.
Darroll Powe was called for holding midway through the first period, and the Ducks needed only 53 seconds with the one-man advantage to take the first lead.
Getzlaf snagged a bouncing puck and sneaked a pass to his linemate across the slot as he smoothly pivoted toward the crease, and Perry stopped the puck with his left skate. Perry tapped it into the open net as he lost his balance and tipped over.
Heatley had a glaring giveaway near mid-ice during the middle frame, leading to a two-on-one rush that defenseman Marco Scandella stopped with a brave, well-timed dive that thwarted a pass through the slot.
But the Wild weren't able to clear the puck, and Tony Lydman found a wide-open slap shot opportunity from the point.
Selanne did the dirty work by prying the puck away from Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom's glove, and Ryan swooped in to slam in the rebound to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead.
The Wild held a 9-4 shots edge in the first period after letting their opponents outshoot them 76-57 previously in the opening frame this season, but that early energy didn't produce many prime chances.
They watched a power play fizzle out in each of the first two periods, and they started drawing some boos from dissatisfied customers on their third attempt after Ryan was sent to the penalty box for roughing.
Spurgeon started the sequence with a pass along the blue line and had the puck ricochet back to him in perfect position after Setoguchi's shot. The second-year defenseman let his stick rip on the opening Hiller left to his left, scraping the crossbar with the puck and rattling the water bottle as it settled in to bring the Wild within one.
But then came another power play for the Ducks, who have also been struggling to score with the extra skate. This one couldn't have been easier, 18 seconds after Kyle Brodziak's tripping penalty.
Getzlaf had a wide-open net after Selanne's pass skipped over defenseman Justin Falk, who went to his knees without success to try to stop the puck in the crease, allowing the Ducks to take a 3-1 lead.
The Ducks entered the game 25th in the league on the power play, but their star power has been outplaying the Wild's. Perry, coming off his 50-goal, MVP season, along with Getzlaf and Ryan gives the Ducks the muscle and the skill up front to compete in the stacked Western Conference.
NOTES: The Wild have given up 10 goals to Perry and Ryan over the past four seasons, the second-most by any opposing player. Ryan Kesler of the Canucks has 15 in that span. Perry and Getzlaf each have 25 points in 23 career games against Minnesota. ... Wild D Greg Zanon was scratched with a groin injury for the second straight game. LW Guillaume Latendresse, who missed the last game at Vancouver on Saturday because of a groin injury, was back in and skating on the fourth line, his usual place taken by Setoguchi. ... Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder was at the game. He received a loud cheer from the crowd when he was showed on the scoreboard. ... The 41-year-old Selanne doubled his assist total for the season. His last three-assist game came last Feb. 11 at Calgary. ... Koivu hasn't scored this season. His last goal was March 11, a span of 18 games. ... This was Getzlaf's fourth goal in the past three games. ... The Ducks are 5-0-1 this season when scoring the game's first goal. ... The Ducks won at Minnesota for the first time in six games. The Wild fell to 13-5-3 all time at home against Anaheim. ... Ducks RW Devante Smith-Pelly was scratched for the second straight game. He's been hampered by flulike symptoms.
