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Ryan records hat trick, Ducks down Blues

Jan 13, 2011 - 6:34 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Bobby Ryan recorded his third career hat trick and set a career high with four points, as the Anaheim Ducks outlasted the St.Louis Blues, 7-4.

Lubomir Visnovsky had a goal and two assists for the Ducks, who were coming off back-to-back shutouts. Corey Perry added a goal and an assist for Anaheim, which got one goal apiece from Jason Blake and Brandon McMillan.

Jonas Hiller, who was in the net for both shutouts, made 30 saves for the Ducks, who went 5-1-0 during their homestand.

"We've realized that on a homestand you really need to come out and put your best foot forward," Ryan said. "The month of December was a little bit ugly. We've gone on streaks all year long. We need to come out at home, establish the forecheck and our identity."

David Backes had two goals for the Blues, who have dropped five straight games. Brad Boyes and Ryan Reaves also lit the lamp.

Ty Conklin allowed all seven goals on 24 shots.

Ryan got the scoring started with a power-play goal at the 3:31 mark of the first period. Joffrey Lupul slid a pass to the right circle for Ryan, whose wrister beat Conklin.

At the 7:21 mark, Blake controlled the puck behind the net before coming out front and firing a shot. The disc hit off the skate of a Blues defenseman and went into the net.

A great play from Perry with 1:43 left helped give the Ducks a 3-0 lead. Perry was being checked to the ice behind the net, but somehow managed to one-hand a pass in front. Ryan was right there for the easy tip-in.

St. Louis got a pair of goals from Backes in the second stanza to make things interesting. Backes' first goal came on a breakaway at the 3:44 mark.

Less than three minutes later, Backes beat Hiller with a wrister from the left circle to make it 3-2.

Ryan completed his hat trick just 30 seconds into the third. Andreas Lilja's slapper from the right point hit off the stick of Ryan and beat Conklin.

"The first one was a weird play. It came off the cycle and I tried to push it low. Lupul made a great play through the slot area to find me. I had a lot of net to shoot it," Ryan said. "The whole play with Perry, I was in the right spot at the right time. The third one, Lilja made a great shot. I was the benefactor of a lot of good plays around me tonight. It was nice to have those."

Perry gave Anaheim a 5-2 edge at the 6:17 mark. Conklin tried to play the puck behind his own net, but Perry stole the disc and converted an easy wraparound.

Visnovsky's slapper from the point on the power play made it 6-2 with 6:40 to play. McMillan scored a power-play goal of his own less than two minutes later to make it a five-goal game.

Reaves' first career goal came with 3:40 left, and Boyes lit the lamp with 2:02 remaining to account for the final score.

"You look at the start they got off to - they got a pretty good jump on us," Blues coach Davis Payne said. "They scored a power play goal, but we stayed with it. We got ourselves back in the game, but we made some mental mistakes early that cost us. We got back on track in the second, but to have them pull ahead by two that quickly was a tough one to overcome. It's one thing to not have your legs going early, but the mental preparation has to be better."

Game Notes

The Blues had won two in a row against the Ducks...The first St. Louis goal snapped Hiller's career-high shutout streak at 178:34...The Blues went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Ducks finished 3-for-4...Ryan has scored three of the club's last four hat tricks.