In Winnipeg Sunday, the visiting Anaheim Ducks needed nearly all over extra time to manage a 3-2 win over the Jets.
Jakob Silfverberg scored with just under a minute left in the extra session to give the Ducks the two points.
“They kind of forgot about me,” Silfverberg said. “[Ryan Kesler] made a good pass, and I had a lot more time than I thought I would.”
John Gibson picked up win in Winnipeg – file photo by Brent Clark
The Ducks are on a five-game roadie as the season winds down and the win made the start a relief for Anaheim.
“Getting this first win is great for the confidence for the rest of the trip,” Silfverberg said. “You always say you want to start off a road trip with a win, and that’s what we did. Maybe it wasn’t the prettiest way, but we managed to find a way, and that’s what is important.”
The Ducks trail the Los Angeles Kings by four points in the race for the top spot in the Pacific.
“It was ugly. It was an ugly hockey game. The puck was bouncing around, not really connecting on a lot for [each] team,” Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf said. “At this time of the [season], you have to slog through a few of them. They’re not all pretty. They’re not all textbook wins.”
Jamie McGinn and Ryan Kesler scored regulation goals for the Ducks and John Gibson made 27 saves for the win.
Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau echoed his captain’s feelings on the effort.
“We weren’t very good,” Boudreau said. “We gave up way too many chances. We just weren’t doing things that we’re capable of, and probably Winnipeg had little bit to do with that. But if we want to be successful in the [final] 11 games and beyond, we’ve got to play better.
“We want to play to our level. When you’re playing teams [out of contention], when you get a lead, it’s a lot easier for them to wilt. When you give the opportunities we gave them…they believe they can win it, and we’re lucky they didn’t.”
Paul Postma and Blake Wheeler scored for the Jets who have faded in the west with losses in 15 of their last 19 games.
“When you have guys out of the lineup and new faces in, you really have to fall back on your system, and that’s what we did,” Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson said. “We played our game plan really well and didn’t give them much room out there.”
Hutchinson made 30 saves in the loss.
“They’ve (Jets veterans) got pride stepping out on the ice wearing the sweater at home,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said of Wheeler and others. “They know they owe it to the fans. This is not where we wanted to be, but we want to put a good effort out there. We want to play right, make it an exciting game, and they do that.”
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