ANAHEIM, Calif. - After losing three consecutive games in the heat of a tight playoff race, the Anaheim Ducks were not going to be choosy about who scored their goals or which team they beat.
So when the Ducks skated off home ice Wednesday night with a 3-0 victory over slumping Vancouver, they were more than happy with the result - regardless of whether it came against a Canucks team that's failed to score in its last 10 periods.
Anaheim defenceman Brandon Montour scored twice, his first goals in 50 games, and veteran Jason Chimera had a goal and an assist for his first points with the Ducks since they acquired him in a Feb. 26 trade with the New York Islanders.
“Every game seems do-or-die right now, the standings are so close,” Chimera said. “We have to have them all.”
The victory left the Ducks tied with Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division at 82 points. Anaheim has played one more game than the Kings.
“We're not worried about everyone else,” goalie John Gibson said. “We can't be looking at other teams. Just have to hold ourselves accountable.”
Shut out for the third straight game, the Canucks kept Gibson busy. He turned away 32 shots to earn his third shutout.
“It was a competitive game,” Vancouver coach Travis Green said. “I like how we went toe-to-toe with them.
“We created a lot of chances, a lot of shots. We just have to figure a way to get one in.”
Vancouver, which has lost five straight and eight of nine, was eliminated from playoff contention.
Montour opened the scoring 2:36 into the game on a nice give-and-go from Chimera. The defenceman hadn't scored since Nov. 19.
“It was one of those things,” Montour said after his first career multi-goal game. “I felt the shots were still there, they just weren't going in.”
It remained 1-0 until the 13:44 mark of the second period when the 38-year-old Chimera scored his first Anaheim goal.
Chris Kelly won a battle for a loose puck and fed Chimera, whose quick wrist shot whipped inside the near post for his third goal of the season but first since Dec. 27.
“You want to be part of it all, scoring goals and helping out,” Chimera said. “You don't just want to be existing out there.”
Green said the officials missed an interference call on Anaheim that left one Canucks player on the ice just prior to the goal.
“That's a call that has to be made,” he said.
It was 2-0 until late in the third period, when Vancouver's Alexander Edler was called for interference. On the power play, Montour took a pass from Nick Ritchie in front and snapped it past goalie Jacob Markstrom to complete the scoring.
“This game is a lot more fun when you are winning,” Canucks forward Brandon Sutter said. “We know where we are at standings-wise. We still want to have fun with it and try to improve as a team.
“We are playing well, but we have to find ways to win, too. Tonight we did all the things you expect to, especially on the road, but we are having a tough time finding the back of the net.”
