Anaheim, CA – Corey Perry scored the game-winning goal at 2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Honda Center.
The deciding play began with a little luck for the Ducks. Hurricanes' winger Jussi Jokinen went back behind his net to pick up the puck and start the break. Jokinen, who was leaning on his left edge, was tripped from behind by Perry but the call wasn't made.
Perry chased down the loose disc on the left wing and sent a quick pass to Sheldon Brookbank, who sent it back to Perry and the 2011 Hart Trophy winner ripped a one-timer past Cam Ward for the victory.
"All these games that we win are going to be nail-bitters as we get closer to the playoffs," Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau said. "So every win we get is going to be huge."
Nick Bonino and Saku Koivu scored in regulation and Jonas Hiller made 31 saves for the Ducks, who have won two straight.
Tuomo Ruutu and Eric Staal lit the lamp and Ward made 31 saves in defeat for the Hurricanes, who squandered a chance to secure their first three-game winning streak since October 12-18.
Carolina struck first at 17:57 of the opening period as a result of some great play off the rush.
Ruutu picked up the loose puck in the neutral zone and dished to Jiri Tlusty just inside the blue line. Tlusty let a quick shot go from the slot that was stopped by Hiller, but Ruutu showed great determination to bat the puck in from his knees after getting knocked down in front.
The Ducks answered to tie it at 12:48 of the second period when Lubomir Visnovsky ripped a slap shot from the right point that was deflected past Ward from in front by Bonino.
The Hurricanes regained the lead at 3:47 of the third frame off a turnover by the Ducks in their defensive zone.
Brookbank picked up the puck behind the net and attempted to reverse it around the boards, but it was picked off by Staal, who backhanded one from below the goal line that snuck past Hiller.
The Ducks, though, answered right back to tie it at 5:11 when Luca Sbisa fired a slap shot from the point that was kicked out by Ward, but he left a huge rebound and Koivu was parked in front to slam it into an empty net.
"Our effort was there," Staal said. It's just unfortunate things went against us in the overtime."
Game Notes
Koivu had 29 points in 45 career games against the Hurricanes...Ward fell to 2-0-1 in four career starts against the Ducks...Anaheim failed to score on its only power play chance while the Hurricanes went 0-for-2 with the man advantage...The Ducks will kickoff an eight-game road trip in Detroit on Saturday, while the Hurricanes will visit the Colorado Avalanche on Friday...It was Perry's third career overtime-winner.
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