The Anaheim Ducks (13-22-6) continued to turn their season around, this time defeating Pacific Division rival Dallas Stars (23-17-1) with a final score 5-2. The Ducks have score 16 goals in their last three games as the offense has suddenly come alive. Soku Koivu was elected first star, and recorded a hat trick on the game.
While the Ducks lead 2-0 through two periods, there was a brief scare at the start of the third period. The Dallas Stars were able to draw even, scoring two goals 64 seconds apart. Koivu, who scored the opening goal a minute and a half after the opening face off, had other ideas scoring two goals in the third period to put the game away.
Koivu called his first goal lucky, as he deflected in a pass from Lydman; barely moving his stick. His second goal took a bit more skill, a nice backhanded shot. He got his third goal on an empty net, a 73 foot shot from the neutral zone after Dallas had pulled their goalie a minute earlier.
After a three game winning streak and home, two of those wins against some of the worst teams in the NHL, the Ducks now have to take their act on the road, starting in Calgary on Thursday. The Canadian tour swings through Edmonton, before ending in Vancouver. A true test of the Ducks mettle as they look to climb out of the basement in the West.