Courtesy Adam Gretz / CBS Sports
It took a red light rally and ridiculous rendezvous but the Anaheim Ducks were able to outlast the Detroit Red Wings in a shootout 4-3 on Monday night.
The Ducks went completely off the hook and scored three goals in a four-minute span during the third period. Anaheim trailed 0-2 going into the third period before going on a rampage.
After gaining a 3-2 advantage, the Ducks allowed the Red Wings to strike back and tie the game on a Riley Sheahan shot that was assisted by Gustav Nyquist and Niklas Kronwall.
In the overtime period that followed there was a lot of defensive presence for both teams but neither squad was willing to budge.
When it came down to a shootout, you could start to really sense that the Ducks had total control of the situation.
Pavel Datsyuk missed the opening shot of the shootout while Corey Perry knocked Anaheim’s first attempt into the net. Detroit returned the favor at the hands of Gustav Nyquist again but Jakob Silfverberg got past Jimmy Howard and made it look easy.
2-1 Anaheim.
Courtesy Associated Press
The next shot would determine whether the shootout extended on or if the game would end in favor of the Ducks in the city of Disney.
The latter happened.
Tomas Tatar’s shot was not able to cross the dreaded red line and the Red Wings saw a game that they had from the get-go slip right between their fingers. The win would’ve been huge for Detroit because Anaheim has been the best team in the Pacific Division and on the Western side of things from the league perspective.
A win on the road against one of the best teams in your league goes to show that you didn’t come to play–you came to win.
The turning point in the game for the Red Wings wasn’t the first goal that the Ducks scored past Jimmy Howard, but rather the tying goal that happened moments later.
Rapid fire doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Like a deer caught in the headlights, the Red Wings had no idea how to move forward and handle the situation–they probably already felt that they’d blown the game and the momentum had made its swing.
Next up for the Ducks is a home game against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night while the Red Wings will face a tough road game against the defending Stanley Cup Champion L.A. Kings tonight at Staples Center.
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