http://video.ducks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8475151&event=ANA624
By Adam Brady (abrady@anaheimducks.com)
AnaheimDucks.com
ANAHEIM – The Ducks got inspiration from a 40-year-old vet and a 19-year-old rookie on their way to a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the red hot Tampa Bay Lightning at Honda Center.
Teemu Selanne had a goal and a beautiful game-winning assist in OT, and
Kyle Palmieri had a huge tying tally late in the third period as the Ducks took down a Tampa Bay team that entered the game tied atop the Eastern Conference at 7-2-1. Selanne raced down the left wing and behind the net before making a blind backhand feed into the low slot, where
Ryan Getzlaf fired it home for the dramatic winner.
"It was a big game for us," Getzlaf said. "It felt like we played pretty well tonight for the most part. We were able to come back at the end. The kid scored a big goal in his first game and that is exciting."
A total of 611 career goals separate future Hall of Famer Selanne and recent call-up Palmieri, but both of their tallies were equally meaningful on this night. Palmieri, making his NHL debut, snapped the Ducks out of a third period funk when he received a beautiful backhand pass from
Bobby Ryan in the slot and slung it into the open net with 4:20 remaining.
"It was unbelievable," said a grinning Palmieri, the former Notre Damer, who had an AHL-leading seven goals with Syracuse before his recall. "I was so excited. The whole play seemed like it was slow developing. I saw the puck come across from Bobby. It squirted around to my stick. He banked it off me. I didn’t have to do much. It was unbelievable.
"To explain, I really don’t have any words right now. It hasn’t really sunk in. Right now, I’m just excited."
It was the first Anaheim goal since 12:22 into the first period, when Selanne notched the 612th of his career (15th on the all-time list) on the power play following a Tampa Bay too many men on the ice infraction. Selanne circled with the puck toward the left wing dot, where he snapped a quick wrister that deflected off goalie Dan Ellis and hit the twine. It was the first goal given up by Ellis in almost 126 minutes that spanned the previous three games.
The Lightning got even early in the second period, when Blair Jones one-timed a Ryan Malone feed into the far top corner of the cage. And they took the lead when Steven Stamkos converted off a Martin St. Louis pass just 21 seconds into the third period on a power play that carried over from the second.
The Ducks didn’t get a whole lot going the rest of the way in their quest to tie the score until Palmieri (wearing the same No. 51 that Getzlaf wore in his rookie year) scored a goal he’ll remember the rest of his life.
"It was a dream come true," Palmieri said. "Even just being there and out on the ice, it was an honor. It’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little kid playing hockey back in New Jersey."
The Ducks snapped a two-game skid and will look to keep it going Friday against Pittsburgh.
"We played against a hockey club that could really skate and is playing with a lot of confidence right now," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "We’ve had our fair share of turmoil and lack of consistency. Tonight was one of our more inspired games. Overall, our effort was way up there. We should feel good about ourselves."
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