Ducks dump Canucks, seal playoff spot
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves scored in the game's first 1:37 as the Anaheim Ducks cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
The Ducks (42-23-11) clinched a playoff spot as they posted their fifth straight win. Anaheim also retained sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
The Canucks (30-37-9), who already were eliminated from postseason contention, suffered their ninth loss in 11 games.
Perry extended his points streaks to three games, while Eaves has three goals in the past two games. Nick Ritchie and Brandon Montour also scored for the Ducks, who jumped in front 4-0. Antoine Vermette had two assists.
Rookie Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks in his home debut. It was his second NHL goal in three games after he signed on Saturday.
Ducks goaltender Jonathan Bernier made 34 saves on 35 shots while posting his 10th victory in 12 games since March 3. Vancouver netminder Ryan Miller took the loss while stopping 35 of 39 shots.
Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf was a surprise late scratch with a lower-body injury after taking part in both the morning skate and pre-game warmup. The Ducks announced the injury on their Twitter page and listed Getzlaf as day-to-day. He has been on a tear lately with 20 points in his last 12 games.
Anaheim still managed to get off to a quick start as Perry opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the game. Vermette took the puck away from Canucks defenseman Alex Edler behind the net and Ritchie sent it out to Perry in the slot.
Eaves put the Ducks ahead 2-0 just 1:14 later after taking a cross-ice pass from Rickard Rakell.
The Ducks almost had another goal moments later, but the puck slid along the goal line after Miller struggled to stop Cam Fowler's shot.
Ritchie gave the Ducks a 3-0 lead with just 16 seconds left in the first period as he got credit for deflecting Josh Manson's point shot.
The Ducks outshot the Canucks 16-6 in the first 20 minutes.
Montour increased Anaheim's lead to 4-0 at 3:44 of the second period as he scored on a shot from the blue line after Canucks winger Sven Baertschi knocked the puck back to him.
NOTES: Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano, the NHL's current active ironman, played his 780th consecutive regular-season game since starting his career with Edmonton on Oct. 4, 2007. ... The Canucks signed F Griffen Molino to a two-year-entry level contract earlier Tuesday. Molino, 23, who spent the past two seasons at Western Michigan University, was not drafted and signed as a free agent. ... Canucks rookie RW Brock Boeser, Vancouver's top 2015 draft pick (23rd overall) signed on Saturday and playing in two road contests over the weekend. He suited up for his fourth game in five nights, including the final contest of his collegiate career with the University of North Dakota. ... Anaheim G John Gibson dressed as the backup after being out since March 10 with undisclosed injuries. ... Canucks rookie D Troy Stecher missed the game with an undisclosed upper-body injury after leaving Sunday's game in Winnipeg. ... Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said injured backup G Jacob Markstrom (lower body) could be shut down for the season.