COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chris Pronger’s power-play goal 3:14 into overtime Monday night gave the Ducks a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets forged a 3-3 tie on a power-play goal by Nikolai Zherdev 3:07 into the third period. Zherdev buried a close-range rebound one second after a five-on-three Columbus manpower advantage expired.
The Ducks scored three times in the second period to erase two one-goal deficits and take a 3-2 lead into the third period.
Corey Perry struck twice on the power play to get the Ducks even, and nearly put the Ducks on top when he hit a goal post with a shot from the slot at 17:45 of the second period. Fifty-nine seconds later, after Ducks rookie winger Drew Miller had taken a tripping penalty, the Ducks took the lead on a rare penalty-shot goal, by center Samuel Pahlsson.
After getting away for a short-handed breakaway, only to be hooked from behind by Zherdev, Pahlsson capitalized on his first career penalty shot by making a nice move to his forehand to beat Columbus goaltender Pascal Leclaire.
Blue Jackets center Kris Beech sandwiched a goal between Perry’s two power-play strikes, which came at 6:49 and 13:40. Beech scored his second goal of the season only 45 seconds after Perry got the Ducks on the scoreboard.
Columbus took the early lead by converting one of its three first-period, power-play opportunities, with defenseman Rostislav Klesla beating Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere with a long slap shot 13:36 into the game, 11 seconds after Ducks winger Todd Bertuzzi took a hooking penalty.
NOTES: Miller replaced veteran Brad May in the Ducks’ lineup and skated at left wing on the fourth line with center Todd Marchant and right wing George Parros. … Ducks center Brian Sutherby missed his fourth consecutive game because of a strained groin.
THREE STARS
1. COREY PERRY: Ducks’ leading goal scorer pushed his season total to 17 by converting twice on the power play
2. NIKOLAI ZHERDEV: Slick Columbus winger had a goal, an assist and was dangerous all night
3. SAMUEL PAHLSSON: Penalty-killer extraordinaire did his usual outstanding job and even added a rare penalty-shot goal for the Ducks
OFF THE ICE
With the Ducks down to six defensemen because of a bruised knee that sidelined Kent Huskins for a third consecutive game, the club signed and recalled minor-league veteran Bruno St. Jacques from American League affiliate Portland, Maine. St. Jacques might have been in the lineup because of a nagging injury plaguing one of the club’s defensemen who did play, but weather-related delays prevented St. Jacques from arriving from Portland in time for the game. St. Jacques, 27, played in one game with the Ducks in 2005-06, scoring a goal, among his 67 career NHL games. He had been playing in Portland on an AHL contract, and signed a one-year deal with the Ducks.
NEXT
Vancouver at Ducks, Wednesday, 7:05 p.m., Prime Ticket, KLAA/830
DAN WOOD, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
