ANAHEIM, Calif. _ Patrick Eaves and Ryan Getzlaf are proving to be a match made in Trade Land.
Eaves scored twice and Getzlaf assisted on four goals as the Anaheim Ducks dispatched the New York Rangers, 5-3, on Sunday night at Honda Center in taking over sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
Andrew Cogliano snapped a 3-3 tie early in the third period, while Ryan Kesler and Josh Manson also scored goals as the Ducks (41-23-11) moved their current win streak to a season-high four games. The Ducks broke out of a three-way tie with San Jose and Edmonton entering the contest.
The Ducks can also clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday in Vancouver as they begin their final road trip of the regular season. It will become their fifth straight postseason appearance and all five could be gained through division titles.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was making his return to the lineup after missing eight games due to a lower-body injury. A bit of rust may have developed in the time away and the Ducks were the ones knocking it off.
The teams played an entertaining two periods, trading leads between each other. And then Cogliano gave the Ducks the edge for good when he jumped on a rebound created by Kesler's faceoff win and put away his 16th of the season.
Just two minutes later, Getzlaf started a rush up ice with his linemates. Rakell got a drop pass from the Ducks' captain and fed the puck over to Eaves, whose shot off it struck the skate of Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei and ricocheted past Lundqvist for his second of the night.
Ever since Eaves was acquired from Dallas in a trade days before the March 1 deadline, the winger and Getzlaf have flourished as a pair and formed a dangerous trio with top goal scorer Rakell. Eaves has six of his 27 goals in 13 games with the Ducks while Getzlaf has 20 points in 12 since the team's five-day bye week.
Jonathan Bernier made 25 saves for the Ducks. Rick Nash and Derek Stepan scored to give the Rangers (46-26-4) leads in the first period but Eaves and Kesler answered those, with Kesler's goal ending the Ducks' 0-for-16 drought on the power play.
Manson scored shorthanded off a set-up pass from Getzlaf midway through the second but Skjei jumped up to whip a wrist shot past Bernier to forge another tie.
.jpg?w=600)
