ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Adam Henrique has fit right in with the Anaheim Ducks, finding his scoring touch while helping his new team to wins.
Henrique scored a goal, added an assist and got the shootout winner as the Ducks ended the Winnipeg Jets’ three-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.
“I feel good,” Henrique said. “Really, ever since I’ve been here I’ve felt great about my game.”
Henrique has nine goals and 15 points in 25 games since being traded to Anaheim from New Jersey on Nov. 30.
“I feel like I’ve created opportunities, confident with the puck all over the ice,” he said. “And things keep seeming to come as of late, too, so I think I’ve been able to build some chemistry with some guys now, playing with a couple of guys for a few games in a row, which certainly helps and especially with our lineup, too. The versatility of moving guys up and down and shifting guys around is big for us.”
Ryan Miller picked up the win without recording a save, but stopped all five Jets shooters in the breakaway contest. Miller entered the game with 6:40 left in regulation after Blake Wheeler lost and edge and hit into starter John Gibson, who suffered what coach Randy Carlyle called a “lower-body” injury.
“This is the time of year you have to put your runs together. This is what’s going to do it in the end. Two points is big,” said Miller, who became the fifth goaltender in the last 40 years to pick up a win without recording a save. “I thought the guys played a nice game. This is a tough team to control and I thought for the most part we kept it under control. There were a few mistakes, obviously, but they’re a really dangerous team and I thought we skated well.”
The win also capped off a 4-1 homestand for the Ducks. Meanwhile, the loss for Winnipeg broke a three-game winning streak. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves on 39 shots on goal and rookie Jack Roslovic scored his first career goal.
“Any time you play these guys, it’s physical, especially in this building,” Wheeler said. “I think they were trying to limit our time and space. It’s a team that has a lot of big bodies and a lot of experience playing big games and playoff games.”
Roslovic’s goal came when he fired a shot off a broken play around the Ducks’ net at the 6:19 mark of the third. This came quickly after Ryan Kesler’s goal at the 5:48 mark of the third put the Ducks ahead 3-2. Kesler fired a shot from a side angle to Hellebuyck that beat the netminder.
At the 2:25 mark of the second period, Winnipeg tied it at 2 when Nick Ritchie turned the puck over at his own blue line, which led to Jacob Trouba and Tanev breaking in uncontested on Gibson. Trouba then fed the puck to Tanev, who buried the shot past Gibson.
Anaheim took a 2-1 lead 1:24 into the second period when Henrique’s shot deflected off Ritchie and past Hellebuyck. Henrique also scored at the 6:48 mark of the first period when he picked up a Jets turnover in the opposing zone and fired a shot past Hellebuyck.
NOTES: Carlyle said “you’re always concerned with injuries” in regards to Gibson’s issue, but did not give an update on the severity of the injury beyond its general location as a lower-body problem. … The Ducks gave away hats with beards attached in honor of forward Patrick Eaves, who has played in just two games this season because of Guillain-Barr? syndrome. Eaves dropped the ceremonial first puck before the game. … Patrik Laine’s scored his second goal in his last three games.
UP NEXT
Ducks: begin a five-game road trip after the All-Star break, starting in Boston on Jan. 30.
Jets: open a 10-game homestand on Jan. 30 against Tampa Bay.