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Penner scores fourth goal in three games as Ducks win

Mar 3, 2007 - 7:56 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Dustin Penner got the Anaheim Ducks off to a solid start by again taking advantage of a divisional foe.

Penned and Chris Kunitz scored first-period goals and Jean Sebastien-Giguere posted his 150th career triumph as the Ducks posted their third win in four games, a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

In raising its home record to 20-5-7, Anaheim (38-17-11) has 87 points, good for a six-point lead over Dallas (38-21-5) and nine-point bulge over San Jose (38-25-2) in the Pacific Division.

The Ducks won the opener of an eight-game homestand by bouncing back following Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the struggling Los Angeles Kings.

"We were pretty low after last night, and it's a credit to our players for digging themselves out of it and putting forth an effort tonight that was necessary for our group," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "Our message (Thursday) was, we weren't good enough and we would be judged on how we respond."

"Tonight, it was a really solid effort by everybody," Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne said. "That's what we need. When this team plays with passion, we're a very good hockey team. When the passion (is) not there, we're just average."

After scoring twice against the Sharks on Monday, Penner tallied on a power play five minutes into this one, receiving a pass from Ryan Getzlaf and beating goaltender Evgeni Nabokov for his 23rd of the season.

"Everyone (is) going to the net," Penner said. "You pick up the garbage goals that way. I have my box, right in front of the net, that I stay in. I just put the puck in the net from there. It's really simple."

"With his size, his hands and his skill, the combination is pretty unique for a big man," Carlyle said. "The crease is where he has to earn his living. He's pretty good from the crease in."

Kunitz doubled the advantage with 91 seconds remaining in the opening session, when he slid the puck past Nabokov's right pad for his 22nd tally.

Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, defenseman Craig Rivet scored his seventh goal in his debut with the Sharks on a wrister from the right point that beat Giguere at 3:55 of the third period.

"It (has) been a month since I've played," Rivet said. "I haven't had a lot of time to practice with the team either. It was nice to get the first game in. Obviously, I'm a little tired, but it's a good start."

However, former Hart and Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger added an insurance tally on a power play with 6:10 left, ripping a one-timer from the high slot to the glove side of Nabokov.

"(Corey) Perry put it in a perfect spot for me," Pronger said. "My momentum carried me towards the net and I got all of it. I just wanted to put it on net."

"He found the back of the net on that one," Carlyle said. "We set him up on the ladies' tee."

The 2003 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Giguere made 30 saves in posting his second straight 30-win season and improving to 17-1-4 in his last 21 home contests.

"Once they got that second goal, I don't think we faced another shot for five minutes," Giguere said. "That shows the guys didn't put their heads down. We did the job and worked tremendously hard. In the past few games, we wound up spending more time in our zone than we should."

"I thought we were generating chances, but Giguere is a pretty good goalie and he takes away the bottom part of the net," Sharks defenseman Matt Carle said. "I think we shoveled to get the pucks upstairs. He really played well and we just didn't take advantage of our opportunities."

Making his ninth consecutive start, Nabokov stopped 22 shots for San Jose, which lost its fourth game in a row.

"I'd be scared if we were getting outplayed and outcompeted, but that's not the case," San Jose coach Ron Wilson said. "We make a mistake (and) it ends up in our net. And if we're making a mistake, which aren't that many, it's a huge mistake. We've got to find a way to correct that."