Ducks down Jets 3-1

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This article was published 24/03/2017 (3155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks had the look of experienced, cold-blooded Stanley Cup contenders Friday night.

The Winnipeg Jets, battered and depleted by multiple injuries on their blue-line, looked the part of an also ran, dropping a 3-1 decision before 15,657 fans at the Honda Center in a game that wasn’t as close as it may have appeared.

Goaltender Michael Hutchinson was Winnipeg’s best player, stopping 32 of 34 shots fired his way. Anaheim’s winning goal, scored by Andrew Cogliano courtesy of a bounce off Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba, was a terrible break for the seldom-used Hutchinson, who started for the second time in three games.

“It’s tough, we battled hard all night for the full 60 minutes,” said Hutchinson. “It’s unfortunate that a bad bounce like that would go in and it being the game-winning goal but stuff like that happens during the game of hockey. We did a good job of putting a bad bounce behind us and we kept battling.”

Jets head coach Paul Maurice was impressed.

“He battled really hard for pucks,” said Maurice. “A lot of traffic on pucks that didn’t go in and was energetic in the net – (he) looked good….

“I think he’s far more aggressive in terms of trying to find the puck. And he’s got a little more fight in his game. A lot more traffic later in the year, almost a game more suited for him.”

Jets centre Bryan Little admitted it was pretty clear which team was superior.

“They did get that bounce but overall, I think they played the better game,” said Little. “They probably deserved to win. We had trouble generating offence and they had a lot of good chances. If it wasn’t for Hutchie, they probably would’ve had a couple more.”

The Jets, now 33-35-7, have seven regular-season games remaining and are 12 points behind the Nashville Predators who hold the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Preds also have two games in hand.

Dustin Byfuglien, who was added to Winnipeg’s long list of injured D-men, took the pre-game warmup but did not play due to lower-body injury. Veterans Toby Enstrom, Ben Chiarot, Tyler Myers and Paul Postma are also sidelined.

“Obviously, you have guys you can’t replace out of the lineup,” said Winnipeg defenceman Josh Morrissey, who was joined in the blue-line corps by Trouba, Mark Stuart, Nelson Nogier, Brian Strait and Julian Melchiori.

“I think as a group, collectively, we’ve done a pretty good job of trying to fill those roles and trying to pick up the slack… guys that have come up from the minors and done a great job. So, we’ve kinda been doing it by committee and I think, for having that many guys out of the lineup, the D-men have done a pretty good job.”

The Ducks improved to 40-23-11 and pulled into a tie atop the Pacific Division with the San Jose Sharks.

Jonathan Bernier made 17 saves in the Anaheim net.

Byfuglien’s availability for Sunday night’s game against the visiting Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m., Sportsnet, TSN 1290) is uncertain.

“We put him on in the warmup,” said Maurice. “He couldn’t warm it up enough. The mandate with Trouba going back in, he had to know that he could get through the game and he didn’t know he could get through the get through it. But we’re hopeful a day’s rest puts him back in the lineup.”

FIRST PERIOD

Jets starting goaltender Michael Hutchinson looked sharp early and was quick to shut down Jakob Silfverberg on a pair of rapid-fire shots after a turnover by Jacob Trouba late in the opening frame.

Moments later, however, veteran Ducks sniper Corey Perry swooped off the boards and fired a high shot through traffic, created by Anaheim’s Antoine Vermette and Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry, for his 10th goal of the season.

SECOND PERIOD

The Jets showed some spunk early after Winnipeg’s Brandon Tanev forced Korbinian Holzer into taking a hooking minor. On the ensuing power play, Blake Wheeler’s point shot was tipped by Josh Morrissey and past Ducks goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

Morrissey’s goal was his sixth of the season and Mathieu Perreault’s assist was his 19th point in his last 16 games.

Anaheim was back in front at 16:32 of the period with a gift goal, Cogliano’s 15th, when his centring effort was redirected by Trouba’s skate behind Hutchinson.

Silfverberg nearly made it 3-1 in the final minute, eluding Trouba’s check before being stoned by Hutchinson.

THIRD PERIOD

Silfverberg added an empty-net goal in the final minute for the Ducks.

NOTEWORTHY

Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano appeared in his 778th consecutive game Friday against the Jets. Cogliano’s ironman streak, the fourth-longest in NHL history is the league’s longest in more than 23 years since Steve Larmer played in his 884th consecutive game on April 15, 1993. Doug Jarvis is the NHL’s all-time leader after playing 964 consecutive games from 1975 to 1988.

Anaheim head coach Randy Carlyle earned his 403rd career victory on March 22 over Edmonton to move past Punch Imlach for sole possession of 35th place on the all-time wins list.

The Jets recalled Manitoba Moose defenceman Brenden Kichton on an emergency basis in case both Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey were unable to play due to unspecified injuries Friday. Kichton did not make his NHL debut, however, with Morrissey back in the lineup. Byfuglien came out for the warmup but did not play.

Winnipeg also transferred forward Brandon Tanev from an emergency recall to a regular recall.

Veteran Ducks D-man Kevin Bieksa did not play Friday after taking a stick to the mouth earlier this week from Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14