Ducks 5, Canucks 2
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Center Ryan Getzlaf and defenseman Sami Vatanen both had a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks continued their torrid pace with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Center Rickard Rakell and defenseman Josh Manson also scored for Anaheim, as did defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who added an empty-net goal. The Ducks, who are 11-1-1 in their past 13 games, ended their lengthy road trip with 5-1-1 record.
Anaheim (30-19-8) sits two points back of the Los Angeles Kings in the race for first place in the Pacific Division.
Right winger Jannik Hansen and left winger Sven Baertschi scored for the Vancouver (22-23-12). Left winger Daniel Sedin had two assists for the Canucks, who took their third straight loss and sixth consecutive defeat at home.
Vancouver is eight points out of the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Anaheim goaltender John Gibson, who returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury, stopped 19 shots. Canucks goalie Ryan Miller made 28 saves.
The Ducks scored goals 27 seconds apart in the third period.
Getzlaf made it 3-1 at 4:14. With the Ducks on a three-on-one breakaway, he beat Miller from inside the faceoff circle for his seventh goal of the season.
Manson scored his first goal in 25 games at 4:41, poking in a loose puck.
The Canucks managed to rally. Hansen tipped in a pass from Daniel Sedin at 6:18, then Baertschi scored on a power play at 11:58.
The Ducks scored twice in the second period for a 2-0 lead.
Rakell's 15th goal of the season made it 1-0 at 2:03. Vatanen made a nice play to keep the puck in at the blue line, then passed to Rakell. The center fired a slap shot through traffic that beat Miller on the short side.
Vatanen scored the Ducks' second goal at 10:25 after Canuck right winger Adam Cracknell was sent off for delay of game. Vatanen worked himself free, then took a pass from Getzlaf. His shot from just inside the faceoff circle sailed over Miller's elbow.
NOTES: Vancouver's scratches were C Jared McCann, C Alex Friesen and D Yannick Weber. ... LW Daniel Sedin is the first player in Canucks history to register more than 3,000 shots in his career. ... Ten of the 14 players that have made their Canucks debut this season have tallied at least a point. ... Vancouver was outshot 33-11 in the first periods of their previous two games. The Ducks had a 10-9 edge in shots in the first period Thursday. ... The Canucks' next game is Friday in Calgary. ... Anaheim C Andrew Cogliano played in his 679th consecutive game, tying him with Vancouver's C Henrik Sedin for the sixth-longest streak in NHL history. ... Ducks C Harry Zolnierczyk was a healthy scratch. ... Anaheim C Nate Thompson played in his 500th NHL game. ... Ducks LW Patrick Maroon played in his 200th NHL game. ... The Ducks' next game is at home Sunday against the Calgary Flames.