The Anaheim Ducks returned home Sunday night and found a way to build a lead, protect it and win.
With a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators, the Ducks ended a five-game skid and took some pressure off their backs.
But the hill ahead is monster to climb
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“We kept battling,” said Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen, who made 40 saves to earn his first win of the season. “We came out hard and worked for each other. We got some bounces our way and pucks started going in. Even when they scored their goals, we kept going. We didn’t sit back and feel sorry for ourselves.”
Sunday, the Ducks took a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals from Rickard Rakell, Sami Vatanen and Andrew Cogliano.
Vatanen and Cogliano scored just 12 seconds apart to break the game in the Ducks’ favor.
“We had a lot of energy to start the game,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “They came out and Freddie made three really great saves in the first two minutes. Rakell had a really nice goal. We came right back. [Cogliano] had a chance and he scored, which I thought was great.”
Despite the lead there was tenuous feel to it after blowing the same advantage in Dallas this week.
“We’ve been talking about letdowns and when we’re having trouble winning games,” Rakell said. “In Dallas we were up 3-0, and it’s hard not to think about that when you’re up 3-0 and then they get on the board.”
Chris Stewart ended those fears when he added a goal in the second to make the score 4-1.
“I thought we bent in the second period, but I thought in the third period, defensively, we were much better,” Boudreau said. “We were keeping them to the outside a lot, and that’s a very good hockey club and it’s tough to do, but I thought we did a good job in the third.”
Now the trick is to keep the spark of momentum bright and hot enough to go on a streak of wins.
Andersen stopped 40 shots in the win and Carter Hutton made 24 saves in the loss.
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