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National Hockey League
Anaheim 5, Pittsburgh 3
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Referees: Ghislain Hebert, Brad Watson
Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Pierre Racicot
Attendance: 17291
Scoring a season-high four goals in the second period Wednesday night, the Anaheim Ducks dumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Rickard Rakell, Adam Henrique, Chris Wagner and Ondrej Kase potted the game-deciding markers for Anaheim, which moved within two points of a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot. John Gibson earned the win in net with 30 saves.

Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm sealed the verdict with his seventh goal, an empty-netter with one second to play.

Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel scored goals for Pittsburgh, which started its three-game California road trip with a thud after winning its previous four games. Goalie Tristan Jarry took the loss, stopping 28 of 32 shots.

The Ducks owned a territorial edge in the first period, although the Penguins broke the scoring seal at 18:26 after forcing a turnover in the right corner. Patric Hornqvist fed Malkin in the right circle, and the center zipped a wrister by Gibson for his 20th goal.

That lead didn't last long. Rakell equalized at 4:17 of the second period with his 16th goal. Defenseman Francois Beauchemin fired a point blast that Rakell tipped past Jarry to start the Ducks' explosion.

Henrique gave Anaheim the lead for good at just 1:25 later. Jarry saved the first shot and then stuffed a backhand try by Kase, but Henrique picked up the next rebound, skated around the net and scored his 10th marker on a wraparound.

Wagner's short-handed tally made it 3-1 at 9:24 of the middle period. Off a Pittsburgh turnover in the neutral zone, Wagner got a breakaway and slipped the puck between Jarry's pads for his sixth goal of the season.

Kase finished off the big period with his 12th goal at 18:28. After blocking a point shot, Kase collected the loose puck for a breakaway, finishing with a backhander over Jarry.

The Penguins used the man advantage to get back into contention in the third period. Kessel wired a wrister from the right circle at 8:35 for his 21st goal, and Guentzel bagged his 14th marker at 14:06 with a short-side wrister from the left circle.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Anaheim's Cam Fowler each notched two assists.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Pittsburgh   Anaheim
Phil Kessel 2 Points Ondrej Kase 2
Phil Kessel 1 Goals Ondrej Kase 1
Sidney Crosby 2 Assists Ondrej Kase 1
Phil Kessel 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals Chris Wagner 1
Tristan Jarry .875 Save Percentage John Gibson .909
Tristan Jarry 28 Saves John Gibson 30
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Pittsburgh 33 3 2-4 2-2 10 24
Anaheim 33 5 0-2 2-4 14 36
Upcoming Games
  • Anaheim will play their next game at home against Los Angeles. The Ducks have a W/L % of .400 after a win and .500 after a loss.
  • Pittsburgh will play their next game on the road against Los Angeles. The Penguins have a W/L % of .458 after a win and .565 after a loss.