Kesler's late goal difference in Ducks' win vs. Devils
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ryan Kesler scored with 3:40 to play as the Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night at the Honda Center.
Jakob Silfverberg added a goal and an assist, Rickard Rakell contributed a goal and goalie Jonathan Bernier stopped 27 shots for the Ducks (9-6-3), who earned their fifth win in seven games.
Kyle Quincy had a goal and an assist for the Devils (9-4-3), whose five-game winning streak ended. Goalie Cory Schneider made 20 saves.
Kesler scored his team-leading eighth goal at 16:20 of the third period. After receiving Silfverberg's pass from the right corner, Kesler took a short-range shot that Schneider blocked with his stick. But Kesler retrieved the rebound and deposited a backhand inside the left post for his sixth goal in six games.
Anaheim then had to defuse a power play and survive and repel the Devils' attempt to score after pulling Schneider.
The Ducks scored twice within 16 seconds late in the second period to tie the score after New Jersey built a 2-0 lead earlier in the period.
Rakell scored his fifth goal with 2:36 remaining in the second period. Rakell received Ryan Getzlaf's pass from the left corner and flipped a wrist shot from the slot that Schneider tried to catch, but the puck deflected off his glove.
Rakell has nine points in his nine games since signing a six-year contract worth $22.8 million on Oct. 14. Getzlaf registered his 14th assist.
Then with 2:20 left, Silfverberg converted a shot from the right circle inside the left post for his third goal in four games and his sixth of the season. Korbinian Holzer made the goal possible by intercepting defenseman Jon Merrill's clearance at the left boards and passing ahead to Andrew Cogliano, who sent the puck to Silfverberg.
The Devils scored the first goal at 10:32, when Devante Smith-Pelly scored his second goal by deflecting Quincey's slapshot from the blue line. Jacob Josefson began the scoring sequence by winning a faceoff in Anaheim's zone at the left circle. Josefson sent the puck to John Moore, who passed to Quincey.
Then at 14:09, Quincey extended the lead to 2-0 with another slapshot from the blue line, a rising drive that settled under the crossbar. Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle believed that the Devils' Kyle Palmeiri interfered with Bernier and challenged the call, but video replay confirmed Quincey's second goal.
NOTES: New Jersey scratched D Yohann Auvitu, RW Michael Cammalleri and LW Blake Pietila. Cammalleri did not accompany the Devils on this road trip to attend to personal matters. ... Devils D Jon Merrill made his season debut. Merrill has not played since breaking his right index finger Oct. 1 in an exhibition against the New York Rangers. ... Devils LW Beau Bennett replaced injured LW Taylor Hall (knee) on the team's top line for the second consecutive game. Bennett was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Gardena. ... Anaheim scratched D Clayton Stoner. ... Ducks C Chris Wagner returned to the lineup after clearing waivers Tuesday. ... The Ducks sent RW Logan Shaw to San Diego (AHL) one day after acquiring him from the Florida Panthers for C Michael Sgarbossa.