Took them long enough but the Anaheim Ducks finally found their way back to the top spot in the Pacific Division on Friday night.
Having been mired in the middle of the pack for most of the season, the Ducks are 4-0-1 in their last games while the San Jose Sharks have lost five straight.
The result is the Ducks are tied with the Sharks atop the Pacific courtesy of a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets Friday.
“Climbing in the right direction, for sure,” Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler said. “We’re finding ways to win hockey games.”
Andrew Cogliano and Corey Perry struck for their 15th goal of the season.
“We had a good first period. Some big saves by [Bernier], a few mental mistakes that we can clean up, but a good start,” Perry said.
Jakob Silfverberg ended the game’s suspense with an empty-netter late.
Jonathan Bernier continues to impress for the Ducks in relief of injured John Gibson; he made 17 saves for the win.
“He had to be sharp in the first period,” Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle said of Bernier. “You need him to give you a chance, and he did just that.”
Bernier is 9-2-1 thus far.
Josh Morrissey was the lone goal scorer for the Jets.
“We battled pretty hard … would have liked to come out with the win,” Morrissey said.
WATCH: All Jets vs. Ducks highlights
Michael Hutchinson made 32 saves in taking the loss for the Jets.
“We did a good job of putting a bad bounce behind us and kept battling,” Hutchinson said..
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