Ducks 5, Flames 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Center Ryan Kesler had two goals and an assist to lead the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-2 rout of the Calgary Flames on Sunday night in front of a sellout crowd 17,174 at the Honda Center.
Center Ryan Getzlaf, left winger Patrick Maroon and defenseman Kevin Bieksa contributed goals while goalie John Gibson stopped 22 shots as the Ducks (31-19-8) used their fifth consecutive victory and their 12th in 14 games to move within two points of the first-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division.
Defenseman Mark Giordano and center Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames (26-29-3), who lost four of five. Goalie Jonas Hiller, who spent seven seasons in Anaheim, made 28 saves.
The Ducks scored first on a power play at 15:36 of the first period, 10 seconds after Giordano received a penalty for delay of game.
After Flames left winger Lance Bouma blocked a shot from Anaheim defender Hampus Lindholm at the right circle, Lindholm retrieved the puck and passed to Maroon at the right post. Defenseman Deryk Engelland used his right skate to block Maroon's first shot but Maroon converted the rebound inside the post for his fourth goal.
Bouma had a chance to tie the score 6:12 into the second period, but Gibson made an unusual save. Bouma's wrist shot hit Gibson's right shoulder, ricocheted off his right pad and trickled behind him before Gibson pounced on the puck with his glove as center Matt Stajan closed in.
Kesler gave Anaheim a 2-0 lead 42 seconds later. Kesler received left winger Andrew Cogliano's pass from behind the net, then dragged a wrist shot from the left circle inside the right post for his 12th goal.
Giordano ended Gibson's shutout bid by scoring his 15th goal on a power play at 8:52. Left winger Johnny Gaudreau backhanded a drop pass from the left circle to Giordano, who one-timed a slap shot from the top of the slot.
The Ducks exploited two turnovers in the third period to solidify their lead. Left winger David Perron stole the puck in the right corner and passed to Getzlaf, who scored his eighth goal by redirecting the puck 16 seconds into the period.
Nearly five minutes later, Kesler added his second goal and 13th of the season. After stripping the puck from Engelland between the left circle and the crease, Kesler deposited a shot under the crossbar at 4:56.
Anaheim extended its advantage to 5-1 with its third power-play goal, as Bieksa one-timed a slap shot from the left circle for his fourth goal. Backlund's 11th goal ended the scoring with 44.8 seconds to play.
NOTES: The Ducks won each of their previous 21 regular-season home games against the Flames since 2004. ... Calgary scratched C Markus Granlund, C Josh Jooris and D Kris Russell. ... Flames G Jonas Hiller appeared in his 400th career game. ... Flames D Mark Giordano played his 568th game for the team. He needs nine more appearances to pass Miikka Kiprusoff and move into 11th place on the club's all-time list. ... Anaheim scratched D Korbinian Holzer, D Clayton Stoner and C Harry Zolnierczyk. ... Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano played in his 680th consecutive game to take over sixth place on the NHL's all-time list. Cogliano broke a tie with Vancouver Canucks C Henrik Sedin. ... The Ducks' 5-1-1 record compiled on their road trip that ended Friday was the best in team history for any trip of at least seven games.