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Ducks tie NHL record for season-opening points streak

Nov 7, 2006 - 5:56 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- After the Anaheim Ducks tied an NHL record, Teemu Selanne got a second chance to nail the victory.

Selanne scored on a power play in overtime and Corey Perry and Chris Kunitz added tallies as the Ducks won for the fourth time in five games with a 3-2 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Continuing the best start in franchise history (11-0-4), Anaheim has points in its first 15 games, tying the league mark set by the 1984-1985 Edmonton Oilers. The Ducks have not lost at home to the Penguins since December 10, 1997, and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 meetings.

Selanne had an opportunity to win the game with 1:40 left in regulation with a breakaway on goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who made a right-pad save to preserve the tie.

However, Pittsburgh defenseman Noah Welch was called for tripping at 21 seconds in the extra session, giving Anaheim a 4-on-3 advantage. Selanne netted the clincher 23 seconds later from the doorstep, easily converting Scott Niedermayer's cross-ice feed for his 496th career tally.

The Ducks evened the game, 2-2, with 6:47 remaining in the second period while Penguins center Dominic Moore was serving a holding penalty. Thibault stopped Niedermayer's wrister from inside the blue line before Perry slid the rebound inside Thibault's right pad.

Rookie sensation Evgeni Malkin recorded his 12th point in his eighth game when his shot from the left faceoff circle was knocked down by netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere before Chris Thorburn scored on the rebound from the left doorstep midway through the first period.

Kunitz scored his seventh goal in the opening session and Giguere needed to make just 15 saves for Anaheim, which is 7-0-3 at home and remains the league's only team without a regulation loss.

Moore netted his third tally of the campaign and Thibault stopped 37 shots for the Penguins, who lost for just the second time in six road games.