ANAHEIM, Calif. _ Nick Ritchie's first goal of the season snapped a third-period tie Sunday night and the Ducks captured their home opener at Honda Center with a 4-2 win over Vancouver, dealing the Canucks their first regulation loss.
Ryan Getzlaf took a shot on Canucks goalie Ryan Miller that popped up high in the air and as players from both teams looked for the puck to land, Ritchie spotted it and swatted it with his backhand out of the air past Miller with 8:36 left in regulation.
Corey Perry added a late brilliant solo effort for an insurance goal as the Ducks (2-3-1) took their second straight after opening the season with four consecutive losses. Andrew Cogliano and Cam Fowler also scored while John Gibson stopped 17 shots.
Four comebacks highlighted Vancouver's 4-0-1 start and its one blemish came Saturday against the Kings when they lost in a shootout after erasing a 3-0 deficit. The Canucks forged two ties until Ritchie's goal finally put the Ducks up for good.
Finally home after a five-game road trip to open the season, the Ducks wasted scant time in bringing the sellout crowd of 17,174 to its feet. Just 33 seconds to be exact.
Vancouver let Ducks defenseman Josh Manson carry the puck all the way up ice and get a shot on Miller, which created a rebound that went right to Cogliano. Cogliano deposited it into the cage for his third goal.
Tied for the early team lead wit Fowler, Cogliano didn't get his third goal last season until Nov. 27-24 games into the schedule. The Ducks had the territorial advantage from the outset as Vancouver didn't get its first shot on goal until the12:17 mark of the first.
But these Canucks have proven to be highly resilient. Despite being badly outplayed in the opening period, Vancouver pulled even by the intermission as Bo Horvat scored a breakaway short-handed goal as the Ducks turned it over at the Canucks' blue line.
