In Buffalo, the Anaheim Ducks’ Corey Perry netted two goals and three points in a 5-2 win over the Sabres.
“That’s more of vintage Corey Perry that we’re accustomed to,” Ducks head coach
Corey Perry had 2 goals and assist in win over Sabres – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Randy Carlyle said. “He’s had those opportunities but just hasn’t been able to find the back of the net and tonight he found the back of the net twice and made a nice play to set up Rickard Rakell. Those are the things that he’s done on a consistent basis in his career.”
The win was crucial with the Pacific Division having a successful night on the road; they improved to 29-17-10 and are now 1-2-1 on their six-game roadie.
“If the team’s winning, I don’t care. If we’re struggling, then … it falls on the leaders’ shoulders. That’s when you have to step up and prove to everybody that you are a leader on this team and you’re not going to accept what’s going on. … This road trip wasn’t kind to us so far and hopefully it gets us on the right foot,” Perry said.
John Gibson made 22 saves to pick up the win for Anaheim.
Rickard Rakell and Antoine Vermette also scored for the Ducks.
Buffalo’s Robin Lehner took the loss on 39 saves.
“You know what? I don’t have the answer for you. Comeback victories, great momentum boosts, moral boosts or whatever,” Lehner said. “Comeback victories, they’re called comebacks because we’ve put us in a hole. It’s not all the time going to bounce that way. We get one on the power play at the end; it’s just not enough time. Maybe if I don’t let in the fourth, it’ll be 3-2. … There’s a lot of things in play, but in the end, 14-3 [shots against] and it’s 4-1 in a 1-1 game. We can twist the facts as much as we want, it’s just not good enough.”
WATCH: All Ducks vs. Sabres highlights
Andrew Cogliano scored an empty-netter with just under a minute left in regulation.
“We had things going our way early and that’s what we needed, a big third period to close the win out. We played very well in New York in Madison Square Garden the other night [a 4-1 loss] and didn’t get our reward. We didn’t need that to happen twice to us,” Carlyle said.
Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen had the goals for the Sabres.
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