Ducks at Rangers
The Anaheim Ducks look to extend their winning streak to five games when they open a five-game road trip against the New York Rangers on Sunday. Corey Perry scored on a breakaway 1:25 into overtime as Anaheim skated to a 3-2 victory over Colorado on Friday. The overtime tally was the sixth in the career of Perry, tying the former Hart Trophy winner with the retired Teemu Selanne and captain Ryan Getzlaf for the most in franchise history.
Perry also has enjoyed success versus the Rangers, recording his 10th point in 11 meetings with an assist in the Ducks' 4-1 loss on Jan. 7. Mats Zuccarello scored in that contest and also netted the lone goal of the shootout in New York's 3-2 triumph over Carolina on Saturday. The Metropolitan Division-best Rangers trail Montreal by two points in the Eastern Conference, while the Pacific Division-leading Ducks own a three-point advantage over St. Louis and Nashville in the West.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE DUCKS (46-20-7): Sami Vatanen made his presence felt in his return from a 15-game absence due to a lower-body injury, poking the puck away from Avalanche defenseman Brad Stuart to set up Perry for the game-winning goal. "I'm not putting him in until he's 100 percent ready, so the expectations are that he plays the same way he did before he left," coach Bruce Boudreau told the Orange County Register prior to the contest. Getzlaf, who notched an assist in the first meeting with New York, has scored three goals and set up another in his last five games.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (45-18-7): While Henrik Lundqvist welcomed the addition of a daughter to his family on Friday, Cam Talbot added another win to his belt after making 28 saves versus the Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Talbot owns a 6-1-1 record with a 1.11 goals-against average and .963 save percentage over his last eight games. Coach Alain Vigneault did not divulge the identity of his starting goaltender for Sunday, but Talbot has enjoyed success at Madison Square Garden - going 8-1-3 with three shutouts and a 1.62 GAA.
OVERTIME
1. New York LW Rick Nash has been held off the scoresheet in each of his last five contests but has recorded 35 points (19 goals, 16 assists) in as many career meetings with Anaheim.
2. The Ducks have scored 29 goals in the third period of their last 15 contests.
3. The Rangers are 0-for-18 on the power play in their last seven games.