Ducks put up another response, bounce back over Columbus, 4-3

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Time and time again this season, when the Anaheim Ducks have needed a response, they usually find it. Even with a lively pushback from the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets, the Ducks found their bounce-back strike in the critical moment.

On a tenacious forechecking shift from the third line, Mikael Granlund’s seam pass found a crashing Pavel Mintyukov on the back side to put Anaheim ahead with 3:29 remaining and back into the win column with a 4-3 victory over Columbus on Saturday at Honda Center.

The Ducks responded less than 24 hours after an “unacceptable” 8-3 home drubbing by the Dallas Stars on Friday and got back against the Blue Jackets after an overtime loss in Columbus on Tuesday.

“That's what we needed. Just strong game,” Mintyukov said. “I think everything (was there today, not yesterday). Yesterday we were not ready. Today we were more prepared.”

Anaheim has suffered two or more consecutive losses of any kind just four times in 36 games. The Ducks have a 10-4-1 record following losses this season.

“It was a great response. I thought the start was the response that we're hoping (for),” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “It was an important win in a lot of ways, and we were asking about, hey, we need a response from last night's game, and we got it.”

Olen Zellweger spearheaded a rush that led to Granlund’s opening goal–his third straight game with a tally–and Jacob Trouba’s blast from the point gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead for just the seventh time this season.

Columbus would tie the game on the power play and a tip around traffic, but the fourth line’s forecheck fed Mason McTavish off the bench for the go-ahead goal in the second period, 3-2. That was McTavish’s first goal in seven games.

Zach Werenski scored his third goal in two games this week against Anaheim to tie the game in the third period, 3-3.

Lukáš Dostál made his second start in two nights and stopped 23 of 26 shots. Dostál was pulled early last night after allowing four Dallas goals on the first seven shots of the game.

“Just a bounce-back game,” Granlund said. “It's all about the next game. Obviously, it didn't go our way last night, so I think we responded really good, and got the job done tonight.”

The Ducks (21-13-2, 44 points) jumped back into first place in the Pacific Division, but Vegas (16-7-10, 42 points) still has three games in hand on Anaheim, despite a 6-3 loss to Calgary tonight.

Anaheim closes out the three-game homestand ahead of the Christmas break against Seattle on Monday.

Defense Rotates Forward

After Olen Zellweger sat as a healthy scratch last night for the first time this season and even getting in an extra on-ice workout despite no morning skate on Saturday, Zellweger was reinserted to the Ducks line-up and made an immediate impact.

Just two minutes into the game, Anaheim grabbed the lead on a sequence that was nearly all orchestrated by the 22-year-old Calgary native.

Zellweger blocked a shot and chased the puck into the corner, where he won the 50-50 puck by chopping it up the wall. Alex Killorn won a board battle and got the puck to Zellweger, who raced out of the zone and onto the rush. Zellweger feathered it to Mikael Granlund, who finished the opening marker, 1-0.

Zellweger was slotted onto the third defensive pairing with 24-year-old Ian Moore, and Zellweger skated the least ice time among Ducks defensemen at 12:09 with a shot and two blocks.

“You can see the speed and his puck moving,” Quenneville said. “One more guy in the back end can get the puck up the ice, and possession wise, and there's quickness in the puck area as well. We seem like we’ve always got a tough decision when we were saying who's playing and not on the back end, but it's nice having options.”

Drew Helleson, 24, drew the short straw as the healthy scratch among Anaheim’s seven defensemen, as Ducks coach Joel Quenneville instituted a rotation among Zellweger, Moore, Helleson and 22-year-old Pavel Mintyukov.

Each has sat in the press box at least once in the past two weeks. Saturday was Helleson’s third scratch of the season, and Moore has been scratched 10 times this season. Mintyukov has been scratched four times, but just once in the last 15 games.

“It’s a competitive group,” Mintyukov said. “That’s good for the culture of the team. You have to be ready for everything.”

Mintyukov said since three straight healthy scratches last month that playing more minutes has made him more comfortable. The young Russian said he understands more what the coaches want from him and what his abilities are, and that’s shown.

Mintyukov has two goals in his last four games, including Saturday’s game-winner on the third-most ice time among Ducks defensemen against Columbus.

“I thought tonight he was solid,” Quenneville said. “I think the defensive part of the game, where it's primarily our biggest focus, but he's still got some upside that we encourage. I mean, our D are off the top, I think, one of the top teams in the league for production on the back end. There's some certain plays around the game now that the onus is on the puck carrier, but our D see those areas where you got an advantage, or you're in a position to get a quality opportunity by just going in and out, and you go back, and play your position.”

“It was a good time to see that and be comfortable doing any of that time in the game.”

Fourth Line Forecheck

The fourth line has been anchored by Ryan Poehling and Ross Johnston for most of the season, and with Alex Killorn added to the trio on Saturday, the line continued its recent surge.

On Anaheim’s second goal from Trouba, Killorn and Poehling got in deep on the cycle and kept the puck alive with their tenacity and quick skating. Poehling turned out of the corner and fired the puck up to the point for Trouba’s 2-0 blast.

After Columbus tied the game in the second period, it was again the fourth line that sparked the Ducks’ push.

Poehling dumped the puck for a change, but Killorn pursued behind the net to force a quick pass. Johnston followed up to intercept along the endboards and spotted Mason McTavish charging in off the bench. McTavish took the feed and wristed it home for the go-ahead goal, 3-2.

“The key area is forecheck,” Queneville said. “Turn pucks over, kept pucks with a good placement on our entries, and around the net, there's getting a couple looks at the two guys stacked at the net, point shots getting through, create a lot of confusion in their end. That line generated a lot of momentum in a game for us, and we had a couple times where we lost it in the game, but that line recaptured several key times.”

In four of the last five games, the Ducks have earned over 50% of the expected goals at five-on-five with Poehling and Johnston’s line on the ice, including an 88% expected goal share in Columbus on Tuesday.

Poehling has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last seven games. Johnston has assists in three of the last four games to continue advancing his career-high single-season point total (10 points).

“I think that line was really good,” Quenneville said. “Poehls and Rosco, it seems like there's something there between those two guys that are connecting with one another. Some nice plays as well, but they've been on a score sheet a lot lately, and I think under-ratedly, that line has been getting a lot done for us.”

Other Notes:

Mikael Granlund scored a goal for the third straight game and notched his fifth point in five games with another goal-assist night. The 33-year-old Finn credited finally getting back up to speed following his lower-body injury and reaggravation that forced him out of 18 of 19 games.

Anaheim is scoreless on its last nine power plays, including an 0-for-2 night on Saturday with just one shot. The Ducks have gone 1-for-15 on the power play over the last seven games, 3-for-36 over the last 12 games and 6-for-59 in the last 21 games.