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Determined Ducks snap L.A.'s streak, cut series lead to 2-1

DucksKings

It wasn’t comfortable, but it was a win.

The Ducks did the business Thursday night at the Staples Center, surviving the loss of their starting goalie and a late charge from the Kings to win 3-2 and snap L.A’s six-game playoff win streak in the process.

The game was a virtual must-have for Anaheim, and the players responded as such. Leading goalscorer Corey Perry scored his first of the series just 4:05 into the game, converting a Patrick Maroon pass on the power play to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

The Kings tied it up early in the second when Jeff Carter scored his third of the playoffs, also on the power play, but the Ducks retook the lead at the 15:10 mark when the ageless wonder, Teemu Selanne, scored his 44th career playoff goal on -- what else? -- the power play.

Then came the third period, when the Ducks almost went south.

Starting netminder Frederik Andersen was forced from the game with just under 10 minutes remaining after suffering what appeared to be a lower-body injury. Andersen didn’t put any weight on his right leg upon exiting the ice, and Jonas Hiller -- who started Games 1 and 2 of this series -- was summoned from the bench.

Hiller got some breathing room at the 17:05 mark, when Ben Lovejoy sniped a high shot past Jonathan Quick to give the Ducks a seemingly comfortable 3-1 advantage. But with 31 seconds to go, Mike Richards batted home a Tanner Pearson rebound for his first goal of the postseason, making for a nervous final 30 seconds.

Thankfully for Anaheim, that would be it for dramatics as it held on and cut the Kings’ series lead to 2-1.

Notes...

Maroon’s assist on the Perry goal was his sixth point in the last six games, making him first rookie to record a postseason point streak of at least six games since Warren Rychel did it for the Kings in 1993...With an assist tonight, Anze Kopitar became the first L.A. player to register a point in 10 straight playoff games since Wayne Gretzky...After starting the series 0-for-4 on the power play, the Ducks are now three for their last six with the man advantage.