ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Anaheim Ducks were missing more than just several injured players at the start of the season. Their power play had been all but absent, too.
Not on Thursday night.
Ranked next-to-last in the NHL in power-play efficiency, the Ducks scored three goals with the man advantage to snap a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
“It’s been a long wait for our power play to waken,” coach Randy Carlyle said. “Tonight we were more determined to get pucks back and got the puck directed at the net. We were more tenacious, we were hungrier for the puck.
“We need to bottle that and maintain it as we go forward.”
The Ducks had scored only five power-play goals all season - two at home - until Thursday night.
Jakob Silfverberg scored twice in 35 seconds early in the third period, and his first goal was the third for Anaheim on the power play. It was the second-fastest pair of goals by one player in franchise history.
“I’ve been feeling better and better,” Silfverberg said. “I’ve been having some chances, just not getting the puck in.
“That was a big one for us tonight. We needed this one as a team.”
The Canucks had won six of their last nine games, but after opening the scoring on Sven Baertschi’s shot in the first period, they were outskated the rest of the way.
“We got what we deserved,” coach Travis Green said. “We weren’t a very good hockey team tonight, and I haven’t said that many times this year.”
The Ducks started backup goalie Ryan Miller, who was barely tested for much of the night. Through the first two periods, Vancouver had just 11 shots on goal.
“If you only give up 11 shots in two periods, you know the opposition hasn’t had a lot of time in your zone,” Carlyle said.
Anaheim tied it on Hampus Lindholm’s goal in the first period and took the lead for good when Brandon Montour scored late in the second. Both were power-play goals.
“That was huge for our confidence on the power play,” Lindholm said. “We have to build on that now. We have to keep working.”
Just 30 seconds into the third, Silfverberg was left alone at the left side of the crease. He took a pass from Rickard Rakell and fired the puck past goalie Jacob Markstrom to complete Anaheim’s unexpected power-play outburst.
Only 35 seconds later, Silfverberg fired in a rebound for his second goal. He had scored just twice in Anaheim’s previous 15 games.
“If you don’t show up every game, this is what’s going to happen,” Vancouver forward Bo Horvat said. “It’s been coming. There’s been three or four games in a row where we shouldn’t have won, and it caught up to us tonight.”
For the game, Anaheim outshot the Canucks 35-20. Vancouver failed to score on its five power plays.
“You have to credit our power play, but also the penalty killing for keeping them off the score sheet,” Carlyle said.
NOTES: Anaheim’s record for the fastest two goals by one player is 13 seconds, set by J.F. Jomphe in 1996. . Vancouver fell to 5-2 on the road. . Ducks forward Kevin Roy made his NHL debut. The 24-year-old Roy was drafted by Anaheim in the fourth round in 2012. . Rakell had a career-high three assists. . Carlyle tied Art Ross (802) for 38th on the career games list among NHL coaches.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Head to San Jose to play the Sharks on Saturday.
Ducks: Stay home to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
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