ANAHEIM, Calif. _ John Gibson stopped all 24 shots he faced and Josh Manson's second-period goal stood up for the Ducks in a 1-0 over the Kings on Sunday night.
Before a sellout crowd at Honda Center, the Ducks(31-19-10) turned in a strong defensive effort to get their second 1-0 win in a three-game span. Gibson starred in the other one at Minnesota to end their road trip but the goalie simply needed to be solid against their Southern California rival.
Manson provided the difference in the second when he jumped into an open area around the right hashmark in the offensive zone and easily put in Ryan Getzlaf's cross-ice pass for his second goal of the season. The Ducks used that as the edge in a tight, focused 60-minute effort.
Another game came off the schedule for the Kings (28-26-4) as they remain out of playoff position. Scoring continues to be an issue for them as this blanking became their third in the last six contests.
There was the six-goal surge in Florida for a fine end to their recent road trip but being back home _ or close to home on Sunday _ has provided no comfort. The Kings have lost five of six and all of them have come in regulation.
Playing in just his third NHL game since his promotion from the American Hockey League, Adrian Kempe had his best chance to get his first goal and pull the Kings into a tie but his third-period rebound try clipped the post.
The teams traded chances late in the second that could have changed the scoreboard. Ducks winger Andrew Cogliano got one on a nice passing play down low but hit the crossbar on his one-time try.
Meanwhile, the Kings' Trevor Lewis had a look at an open net after a bounce off the end boards came his way but the grinding forward couldn't lift the puck over Gibson's paddle as the goalie did what he could to thwart the prime scoring opportunity.
