Ducks 3, Avalanche 2
Bobby Ryan scored two breakaway goals - including short-handed 2:49 into the game - and Jonas Hiller made 43 saves as the red-hot Anaheim Ducks held on for a 3-2 victory over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
Captain Ryan Getzlaf added a power-play goal early in the third period as the Ducks (18-22-7) won their fifth straight game and improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine despite being outshot 45-18, including 32-10 in the first and third periods.
Anaheim moved within 11 points of eighth-place Colorado and has three games in hand. The Ducks were 21 points out of playoff position on Jan. 7.
Ryan O'Reilly and Milan Hejduk scored 1:37 seconds apart late in the third period to make it a one-goal game as the Avalanche (26-22-2) uncorked a furious rally, but lost for the seventh time in their last eight games against the Ducks.
With Getzlaf in the penalty box for hooking, Ryan stole a pass at the Avalanche blue line and sent a wrist shot past Jean-Sebastien Giguere's glove for his second short-handed goal of the season. Ryan again beat Giguere to the glove side at 3:56 of the third period after taking a 150-foot pass from Getzlaf to make it 3-0.
Ryan had a third breakaway bid with 4:34 remaining, but Giguere made a pad save.
Getzlaf collected the rebound of Teemu Selanne's wrap-around bid and stuffed a shot under Giguere 20 seconds into the final period.
It was Selanne's 733rd assist, which moved him into 43rd on the career list past Rod Brind'Amour.
Giguere had a personal three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 8-3-1 in his last 12 games.