Ducks 4, Canucks 3 (SO)
Corey Perry and Jakob Silfverberg converted in the shootout as Anaheim prevailed in Ryan Kesler's return to Vancouver.
Captain Ryan Getzlaf scored a goal and set up another while Andrew Cogliano and Matt Beleskey also tallied as the Ducks won for only the second time in eight games (2-1-5) - seven of which have gone past regulation. Frederik Andersen made 25 saves and stopped both chances in the shootout while Kesler, who played 10 seasons with the Canucks before asking for a trade, finished minus-1 and was booed repeatedly, drawing an ovation only when he missed in the bonus format.
Bo Horvat notched his first career goal while Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata scored 30 seconds apart in the second period for Vancouver, which has lost five straight at home to Anaheim. Eddie Lack stopped 23 shots in falling to 1-4-2 lifetime against the Ducks.
Cogliano put Anaheim on top only 37 seconds into the contest, corralling a loose puck along the goal line to the right of the net and lifting it high with Lack on his knees. Getzlaf doubled the lead 12 1/2 minutes later, taking a return pass from Patrick Maroon and fending off former teammate Luca Sbisa before roofing a backhander.
After Horvat started Vancouver's comeback at 3:08 of the second by burying a shot from the slot off a backhand feed from Derek Dorsett, the Canucks went ahead on Hansen's one-timer from just inside the top of the left circle before Daniel Sedin set up Vrbata all alone in front for his third goal in two games. Beleskey knotted it with 8:08 left in the third, swiping home a backhander of his own rebound attempt on the doorstep.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Canucks D Dan Hamhuis suffered a lower-body injury and did not return after appearing to get his right skate caught in the ice in the opening period. ... The Ducks acquired F Rene Bourque from Montreal on Thursday in exchange for D Bryan Allen. Bourque, who scored eight goals in the playoffs last season, had recently been demoted to Hamilton of the American Hockey League. ... Anaheim Ds Francois Beauchemin (mumps) and Devante Smith-Pelly (upper body) returned to the lineup after missing five and three games, respectively.