Ducks tied atop division with win over Jets
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Andrew Cogliano's game-winning goal not only gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night at the Honda Center, but also a share of first place in the Pacific Division.
Corey Perry and Jakob Silfverberg also scored for the Ducks (40-23-11), who used their seventh win in nine games to move into a tie with the San Jose Sharks. Goalie Jonathan Bernier stopped 17 shots in earning his fifth win in six decisions.
The division's co-leaders each have eight games remaining, divided evenly between home and road. But the Ducks have five games left against playoff contenders while the Sharks have six.
Josh Morrissey scored for the Jets (33-35-7), who received 32 saves from Michael Hutchinson.
Cogliano received some unexpected assistance in breaking a 1-1 tie with 2:38 left in the second period. Cogliano fired a pass from the left corner intended for Silfverberg. But the puck bounced off Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba and inside the left post for his 15th goal.
Perry's 15th goal gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead with 2:43 left in the first period. After Nick Ritchie dropped a pass to Perry in the left corner, Perry skated along the left boards to the top of the slot and unleashed a rising wrist shot that settled under the crossbar.
Morrissey tied the score with three seconds left on a power play in the second period. Matthieu Perreault began the scoring sequence with a pass from the right circle to Blake Wheeler, who one-timed a slap shot from the blue line that Morrissey redirected from the slot for his sixth goal 6:08 into the period.
Bernier kept Winnipeg from moving ahead when he stopped Joel Armia's shot with 8:32 left in the second period. Armia intercepted defenseman Josh Manson's pass in the neutral zone and began a give-and-go. But when Armia received Nic Petan's return pass, Bernier blocked Armia's attempted tip-in at the right post with his left skate.
Silfverberg registered his 21st goal by shooting the puck into an empty net with 1:07 to play.
NOTES: Winnipeg scratched D Dustin Byfuglien, D Ben Chiarot, C Marko Dano, G Ondrej Pavelic, D Paul Postma and D Brenden Kichton, who was recalled from Manitoba (AHL) after Byfuglien suffered a late injury Thursday night. ... Jets RW Blake Wheeler needs one goal to pass Vyacheslav Kozlov and become the third-leading goal scorer in franchise history with 146. ... Anaheim scratched D Kevin Bieksa, G John Gibson and C Logan Shaw. ... Ducks D Clayton Stoner will begin a conditioning assignment in San Diego (AHL). Stoner, who underwent abdominal surgery in December, has not played since Nov. 15. ... The Ducks sent RW Ondrej Kase to San Diego (AHL) on Thursday. ... Ducks coach Randy Carlyle passed Hall of Famer Punch Imlach in career coaching victories Wednesday night. Carlyle earned his 403rd in a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers and now sits 35th all-time.