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Ducks edge Wild

Dec 6, 2014 - 7:37 AM St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Kesler had two goals and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks nabbed a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

Tim Jackman posted a goal and an assist while Jakob Silfverberg and Matt Beleskey each scored for the Ducks, who have won their past three. Frederik Andersen allowed four goals on 25 shots.

"We did what we do best and that's play below the circles," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We took advantage of it and [Beleskey], who's had a pretty hot hand this year, scored again."

Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Justin Fontaine and Jonas Brodin all scored for the Wild, who were coming off a win over Montreal on Wednesday. Darcy Kuemper allowed all five goals on 18 shots.

"We'll have to discuss [how comfortable the team is with Kuemper]," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Obviously, we have to make sure we're strong there. We'll evaluate that carefully."

Minnesota went up 4-3 on Fontaine's goal at 2:07 in the final period, a slap shot from the right wing for his second of the year.

Anaheim, though, tied the game just 90 seconds later as Jackman's shot from the low left circle snuck past Kuemper.

Just under five minutes later, the Ducks took the lead for good as Ryan Getzlaf sent a backhand pass from the left side of the net to the low left circle where Beleskey's one-timer found the back of the net for a 5-4 lead.

Minnesota pulled Kuemper from the net after the goal and Niklas Backstrom held the fort, stopping three shots the rest of the way.

The Wild, though, were unable to net the equalizer as the Ducks escaped with the victory.

Anaheim scored just 1:31 in as Kesler buried a wrister on a short break, and it was a 2-0 game at 11:44 of the first as Andrew Cogliano swept the puck on net from the right side and Silfverberg snapped home the rebound.

The Ducks took a 3-0 lead at 2:28 of the second when Kesler came down the middle and drifted to the right where he beat Kuemper with a wrister under the glove.

Minnesota, though, scored a pair of power-play goals separated by 11 seconds as Koivu scored on a 5-on-3, when his shot from a sharp angle at the right side hit off the skate of a Duck and went in. Parise then scored shortly after the faceoff when he skated down the left wing and snapped a wrister between the legs of Andersen.

Brodin tied the game with 2:11 to play in the second as his heavy wrister from the slot went through a screen and into the right corner for his first of the season.

Game Notes

Anaheim forward Corey Perry left the game with a lower-body injury halfway through the first period ... Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter missed a second straight game with the mumps ... Anaheim plays at Winnipeg on Sunday ... Anaheim took a 2-1 win at home against Minnesota on Oct. 17.