{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Anaheim 7, New Jersey 1
When: 10:00 PM ET, Monday, March 14, 2016
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Referees: Trevor Hanson, Justin St. Pierre
Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Darren Gibbs
Attendance: 15423

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks relied on their checking line to pulverize an opponent seeking to recover from a bad month.

Jakob Silfverberg had three goals and an assist in leading the Ducks to a 7-1 rout of the New Jersey Devils on Monday night at the Honda Center.

Silfverberg accomplished the first hat trick and the first four-point game of his career. Linemates Ryan Kesler and Andrew Cogliano each contributed a goal and two assists.

"We're a great checking line but we have the skill to score goals, too," Silfverberg said. "It's great for the confidence, for all three of us."

The Ducks combined size and speed to overwhelm the Devils defensemen.

"We knew we had to get in front of them and go to the net," Kesler said. "We watched film and we thought they were a little weak back there. We got behind them and work them. That's how we generated most of our goals."

Corey Perry added his 29th goal, Nick Ritchie scored the first of his NHL career, and goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 24 shots for the Ducks, who broke a three-game losing streak.

Anaheim (38-21-9) remained two points behind the first-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division and extended its lead over the third-place San Jose Sharks to three points.

Devonte Smith-Pelly scored his fourth goal in six games for the Devils (33-30-7), who allowed a season-high goal total. New Jersey had lost eight of 10 games before defeating the Kings and Sharks on the road.

"The first two games, we played well enough to beat two playoff teams," Devils right winger Kyle Palmieri said. "Tonight, every single breakdown ended up in the back of our net."

New Jersey goalie Keith Kinkaid stopped 18 of 24 shots before getting pulled. Kinkaid made his fourth successive start for Cory Schneider, who has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

"I thought they had a great net presence," Kinkaid said of the Ducks. "They've got some pretty big bodies. I had to fight either down low or over them to find those shots."

After Perry and Ritchie scored in the third period, Silfverberg completed his career night with his 12th goal, a slap shot from the right point inside the right post on a power play against reserve goalie Yann Danis with 12:47 to play.

Danis replaced Kinkaid at 6:16 of the final period, when Ritchie scored on a wrist shot from the right circle into the upper-left corner of the net. Danis stopped two of the three shots he faced.

Silfverberg began his offensive eruption by scoring twice in a period of 4 minutes, 26 seconds in the second period.

The right winger scored his first goal of the game by sweeping the rebound of Josh Manson's shot from the right circle between Kinkaid's outstretched stick and the left post to give the Ducks a 3-1 lead at 5:30 of the period.

Kinkaid, who permitted only one goal in his previous two games, allowed three on the Ducks' first seven shots of the second period.

Then, at 9:56, Silfverberg scored his 11th goal of the season to extend the hosts' advantage to 4-1. Kesler passed from near the right post to Silfverberg, who converted a wrist shot off Kinkaid's stick in front of the crease.

"They didn't have a letdown," Devils coach John Hynes said of the Ducks. "We had to get some traction back in our game and while that was going on, they wound up scoring some goals."

Kesler had broken a 1-1 tie at 3:44 of the second period. Manson faked a wrist shot from the right circle before passing to Kesler, who scored his 15th goal on a wrist shot from the circle.

Cogliano recorded the game's first goal 32 seconds into the second period. Cogliano scored his eighth goal by tapping the rebound of Silfverberg's slap shot from the right point past Kinkaid's right skate.

Just 37 seconds later, Smith-Pelly tied the score. Devils left winger Tyler Kennedy began the scoring play by receiving a pass from defenseman John Moore and stickhandled from the left boards through the neutral zone to the right corner.

Before skating behind the net, Kennedy sent the puck to Smith-Pelly, who shot it between Andersen's legs for his 10th goal.

NOTES: New Jersey scratched C Jacob Josefson, D Jon Merrill, G Cory Schneider, D Damon Severson and RW Jordin Tootoo. ... Devils RW Kyle Palmieri, who spent his first five seasons with the Ducks, played his first game in Anaheim since being traded to New Jersey in June. ... Devils D Andy Greene played in his 299th consecutive game Monday night. ... Anaheim scratched D Kevin Bieksa, C Nate Thompson and D Sami Vatanen. ... Ducks C Shawn Horcoff played his first game since Jan. 23 on Monday night. The NHL suspended Horcoff 20 games for using a performance-enhancing drug. ... Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano played in his 690th consecutive game, the sixth longest such streak in NHL history. ... Ducks C Brandon Pirri practiced for the first time with his new team Sunday. Pirri, acquired from the Florida Panthers on Feb. 28, injured an ankle Feb. 13 against the Nashville Predators. ... Ducks D Cam Fowler played in his 400th NHL game.
Top Game Performances
 
New Jersey   Anaheim
Devante Smith-Pelly 1 Points Jakob Silfverberg 4
Devante Smith-Pelly 1 Goals Jakob Silfverberg 3
Tyler Kennedy 1 Assists Andrew Cogliano 2
N/A Power Play Goals Jakob Silfverberg 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Keith Kinkaid .750 Save Percentage Frederik Andersen .960
Keith Kinkaid 18 Saves Frederik Andersen 24
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
New Jersey 25 1 0-3 2-3 6 17
Anaheim 27 7 1-3 3-3 8 42
Upcoming Games
  • Anaheim will play their next game at home against NY Rangers. The Ducks have a W/L % of .579 after a win and .533 after a loss.
  • New Jersey will play their next game at home against Minnesota. The Devils have a W/L % of .412 after a win and .528 after a loss.