Trevor Zegras scores twice, Ducks edge Canadiens
MONTREAL, Canada — Anaheim scored three first-period goals, Trevor Zegras scored twice in the second period, and then the Ducks held off the Montreal Canadiens for a 5-4 win on Thursday night.
Zegras’ first goal was the fourth lacrosse-style goal in NHL history. He carried the puck behind the Canadiens’ net before scooping it up with his stick blade and putting it over goalie Sam Montembeault’s right shoulder.
“Honestly, I just tried to take the crowd out of it,” Zegras said, jokingly, since there were no fans before of COVID-19 restrictions. “It was a big goal for them, the atmosphere was pretty crazy tonight, it was one of those things where I tried to take the crowd out of it.”
The Ducks’ bench came to its feet as Zegras attempted the move. That included Adam Henrique, who was back from missing 20 games with a lower-body injury.
“Zegras’ skill level is so high and he brings that extra aspect to his overall game,” Henrique said. “He can pull off plays like that and make them work. If I tried something like that I would just pitchfork it to the corner and if I started over I’d probably get yelled at on the bench.”
Sam Carrick, Troy Terry and Cam Fowler had first-period goals for Anaheim, and Anthony Stolarz stopped 35 shots.
Jake Evans scored twice for Montreal, while Artturi Lehkonen and Laurent Dauphin, on a penalty shot, had the other goals. Cayden Primeau allowed three goals on eight shots and was pulled at the end of the first period. Montembeault made 13 saves in relief.
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“We always thought that we could come back in this game and it came close at the end,” Montreal head coach Dominique Ducharme said.
The Ducks took advantage of Dauphin’s double-minor for high-sticking Ryan Getzlaf by scoring twice. Getzlaf did not return to the game. Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers, who filled in for head coach Dallas Eakins because of COVID-19, did not have an update on the injury after the game.
Fowler and Terry put Anaheim up 3-0 with power-play goals at 15:12 and 17:06, respectively.
Evans cut Montreal’s deficit to 3-1 at 1:15 of the second before Zegras countered impressively. He scored a lacrosse goal from behind the Montreal net, beating Montembeault to make it 4-1 at 1:25.
Montreal scored on the power play when Mike Hoffman left the puck for Lehkonen in the slot and he recorded his sixth of the season at 9:54.
Zegras scored his second of the game from the high slot at 14:04 to give Anaheim a 5-2 lead.
Evans added his second of the night at 1:24 of the third to cut Anaheim’s lead to 5-3. Dauphin was awarded a penalty shot when Hampus Lindholm hooked him on a breakaway.
He converted at 14:02 to make it a 5-4 contest.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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