Canucks at Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks attempt to post consecutive victories for the first time in more than a month when they continue their three-game homestand Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. Anaheim, which last won back-to-back contests with 2-1 triumphs at home over Tampa Bay and Colorado on Jan. 17 and 19, posted a 5-2 triumph over Toronto on Friday in the opener of its stretch at Honda Center.
Rickard Rakell extended his team lead to 26 goals by scoring a pair for the Ducks, who are just two points ahead of Calgary for third place in the Pacific Division. Vancouver is concluding its California trip after edging Los Angeles 4-3 on Saturday to halt its four-game slide (0-3-1). Sven Baertschi scored twice to halt his five-game drought as the Canucks climbed within nine points of the Kings for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Baertschi, who matched the career high of 15 goals he set last season, has scored in only four of his last 17 games — recording two-goal performances in three of them.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA (Vancouver), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (27-30-7): Nikolay Goldobin made an impressive debut for Vancouver on Saturday, scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second period. The 21-year-old Russian left wing was acquired from San Jose on Tuesday in a deal that sent Jannik Hansen to the Sharks. The next appearance by Jayson Megna, who is mired in a 10-game point drought, will be his 100th in the NHL.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (33-21-10): Rakell netted his career-high eighth game-winning tally of the season Friday, pulling within one of Los Angeles' Jeff Carter for the league lead. The 23-year-old Swede entered 2016-17 with eight winners in 165 NHL contests. Hampus Lindholm passed Ruslan Salei (105) for ninth place on the franchise list in points among defensemen and is two away from tying Lubomir Visnovsky (108) for eighth.
OVERTIME
1. The Ducks signed C Logan Shaw, who has recorded two goals and four assists in 44 games this season — his first with the team, to a one-year contract extension.
2. Vancouver inked F Zack MacEwen to a three-year entry-level contract.
3. Anaheim C Ryan Kesler is two assists shy of 300 for his career.