The Anaheim Ducks on Monday responded to a challenge from their captain, ending their own losing ways while also halting the New York Islanders’ franchise-best 17-game point streak.
One game after chastising the team for a lack of physicality, Ryan Getzlaf led by example.
He had a goal and an assist, while John Gibson made 26 saves as the Ducks defeated the Islanders 3-0 to end their three-game slide and a five-game skid at home.
Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA Today
Playing physical again was a topic at the morning skate.
“That’s definitely the response we wanted,” Getzlaf said. “Obviously, we talked a little bit as a group and some things were said, and necessary to kind of respond as a group. I thought we did a good job of that tonight.”
The Islanders went 15-0-2 during the longest point streak in team history, which started with an Oct. 12 victory over Florida.
They had not lost in regulation since the day before that against Carolina, but had gone into overtime in each of their past four games before facing Anaheim. They lost in ovetime against San Jose on Saturday.
“Guys have committed a lot over a long time and we’ve won in different ways,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s just reality. We didn’t play well enough to deserve to win. I think our guys are good enough pros to understand that. I’m not gonna kick cans or anything like that.”
The Islanders had a 16-5 advantage in shots during the first period and a 26-23 edge in the game, but could not find a way to beat Gibson, who earned his first shutout of the season.
After withstanding New York’s best push in the opening period, the Ducks were able to do enough over the next 40 minutes to get only their second victory since Nov. 3.
Anaheim put the game away late in the third when Cam Fowler and Ondrej Kase scored just over a minute apart.
“They were the hottest team in the league, so it was an easy game to get up for,” Fowler said.
The Ducks broke through in a scoreless game at 10 minutes, 28 seconds of the first period when Getzlaf got his stick on a rebound after Rickard Rakell’s shot.
In an attempt to clear the puck, Islanders forward Jordan Eberle redirected it into his own net.
Getzlaf, whose sharp criticism of the team came after a 6-2 loss at Tampa Bay on Saturday, scored his ninth of the season.
“[Getzlaf] is our leader and we understand that sometimes we need a kick in the butt,” Fowler said. “He’s a guy that can provide that, but on any given night you know he’s going to come out and compete. He’s certainly a guy that we look to when times get a little bit tough and he was fantastic for us tonight.”
Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss made 20 saves. He was 8-0-0 during the point streak with 233 saves.
“That one stinks,” Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier said. “We felt like we came [at them] hard in the first. They came out hard in the second. We didn’t really maintain that compete level.”
Elsewhere, the Sharks sank the Kings 4-3 in overtime, the Blue Jackets beat the Senators 1-0, the Flyers edged the Canucks 2-1, the Lightning spanked the Sabres 5-2, the Rangers tamed the Wild 3-2 in overtime, the Penguins pipped the Flames 3-2 in overtime, the Predators bested the Blues 3-2 in a shoot-out and the Stars outshone the Golden Knights 4-2.
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