Ducks fall to Hurricanes as losing streak reaches 8 games
RALEIGH, N.C. — The struggling Ducks are searching for answers and finding none.
Jalen Chatfield’s first goal of the season was a tiebreaker and former Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen snapped a personal nine-game losing streak as the Carolina Hurricanes handed the Ducks their eighth consecutive loss, 5-2, on Thursday night.
Chatfield, a defenseman playing in his 300th career game, scored during the Hurricanes’ three-goal second period.
Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Chatfield each had a goal and an assist, and Mark Jankowski and Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who won their third straight. Andersen made 11 saves for his first victory since Nov. 6. He had gone 0-7-2 during his winless stretch.
Ryan Poehling and Mikael Granlund scored for the Ducks (21-20-3), who had leads in each of the first two periods. Ville Husso turned aside 30 shots in his first game since being called up from AHL affiliate San Diego.
“Decent first [period] and we’re in a pretty good position late in the second,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville told NHL.com. “[Then] we fed into what we don’t want to do, [which] is turn the puck over. They can play with the lead and check as good as there is in the league when they do get that lead. We didn’t generate much as the third went on.”
A pretty passing sequence led to the Ducks opening the scoring with 6:42 left in the first period. Chris Kreider’s diagonal pass connected with Jackson LaCombe, who immediately fed the puck to an unmarked Poehling for an easy conversion.
Jankowski tied the score on Carolina’s 17th shot of the game, skating along the goal line with the puck swept into the goal by Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson’s skate at 8:56 of the second period. It was his third goal of the season.
Granlund shot wide through the crease on an open net, but pretty much stayed in the same position at the left doorstep and then tapped in a pass from Mason McTavish for the Ducks’ 2-1 lead with 7:56 left in the second. It was his eighth goal of the season.
Stankoven scored for the third game in a row, taking a pass from Taylor Hall on a two-man rush to pull the Hurricanes even just over two minutes later.
Chatfield unleashed a shot from just inside the top of the left circle that sailed past Husso to give Carolina a 3-2 lead with 3:52 left in the second period.
“When they tied it up and got the lead, we just sagged,” Quenneville told NHL.com. “Sure plays is what we’re talking about, and they weren’t so sure.”
Carolina outshot the Ducks 18-3 in the period.
Blake converted a loose puck after Alexander Nikishin’s shot was blocked to double the advantage midway into the third period. Hall capped the scoring by finding the empty net with 2:49 to play.
The Hurricanes’ 13 shots allowed was their fewest of the season.
TERRY SIDELINED
Winger Troy Terry, who shares the Ducks’ lead with 42 points, missed a game for the first time this season because of an upper-body injury but he isn’t expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
“He has been good for us all year,” Quenneville said after the game. “You have another guy who can handle the puck and make plays. You rely on him a lot, important minutes. That’s a good opportunity for other guys to step in, and over the course of the season you’re going to be missing guys in big moments as you go along here. You’ve got to handle that.”
Terry, who has appeared in at least 70 games in four consecutive seasons, has 13 goals and 29 assists in 43 games this season. He has a three-game points streak, including two assists Tuesday night at Philadelphia. His 198 career assists rank eighth in franchise history.
Tim Washe filled in by making his NHL season debut, appearing in his third career game. He found out prior to the morning skate that he would be in the lineup.
“Sweet dream, playing in the best league in the world,” Washe said. “It’s such a big and unique opportunity.”
UP NEXT
The Ducks close their four-game trip at Buffalo on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT.