RALEIGH, N.C. — Ryan Getzlaf returned to the Ducks’ lineup Sunday after sitting out for five consecutive games and 14 of the past 16 because of a nagging left foot injury, and he joined his teammates for the first game of a three-game stretch against potential Stanley Cup champions.
The Ducks dropped a 5-2 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. Their run through the gauntlet continues when the Ducks face the Eastern Conference-leading Florida Panthers on Tuesday and Corey Perry and the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
The Ducks fell behind 2-0 in the opening minutes of the game for the second consecutive game. It didn’t prove costly during their 5-3 victory Saturday over the Philadelphia Flyers, serving as a mere warmup for some strong play in the minutes to follow their poor start.
It’s not exactly a game plan to be repeated, particularly against a team that’s playoff bound like the Hurricanes. The Flyers, like the Ducks, are headed for an early vacation. Philadelphia hasn’t neither the skill nor the depth of the Hurricanes, and it showed in each game.
Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook scored first-period goals for the Hurricanes. Josh Mahura and Troy Terry countered for the Ducks, who overcame another shaky start to make a game of it by applying sustained pressure and avoiding the turnovers that hurt them early.
Svechnikov rocked Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk off his skates with a hard but legal check at one point in the second period. Shattenkirk then went at him at center ice moments later. Getzlaf then barked at Svechnikov during an ensuing faceoff, setting the stage for a fracas along the boards.
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Svechnikov kicked Getzlaf’s leg out from under him as the play went down the ice toward the Ducks’ net. The Ducks didn’t wait for the referees to blow their whistles, reacting with fury, with Gerry Mayhew and Adam Henrique charging at Svechnikov before Getzlaf picked himself up and joined the fray.
Getzlaf was already testy after he was called for a faceoff violation, a minor penalty, negating a power play after the Hurricanes’ challenge for goalie interference on Terry’s team-leading 32nd goal of the season was denied. Carolina was penalized for delay of the game.
Staal scored twice in the third period for a hat trick, extending Carolina’s lead to 5-2.