Recap: Ducks Can't Keep Early Lead in 5-2 Loss to Rangers

Adam Henrique scored twice but the Ducks could not hang on to an early lead over the first-place New York Rangers tonight in a 5-2 loss at Honda Center.

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The loss, Anaheim's third in a row and fifth in its last six games, dropped the club to 15-30-1 on the season and 7-17-1 on home ice.

Henrique scored twice in the opening period, his 13th and 14th goals of the season, to stake the Ducks to an early 2-0 advantage. Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry added two assists apiece. Lukas Dostal made 30 saves in his 21st appearance of the season.

Vincent Trocheck, Will Cuylle, Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider scored for the Rangers, who snapped a two-game losing skid with and improved to 29-15-2 on the season. Igor Shesterkin made 16 saves in net.

Anaheim claimed the early lead on a pair of goals from its top line - Henrique, Carlsson and Terry.

The first came in the game's opening minute, with Carlsson spotting Henrique alone in the low slot for a quick move to the backhand up over the netminder's glove hand.

Anaheim has scored three goals in the first minute of games this season, tied for the second-most in the NHL.

The second goal was a rebound opportunity for Henrique at the side of the net, as he punched a fluttering puck out of mid-air right between the goaltender's arm and near-side post.

Henrique has posted multiple points in three of his last four games (4-2=6) and now has nine points in his last eight contests. The sixth-year Duck forward is tied for third among team leaders in scoring (14-14=28) this season and sits second in goals.

Terry became the second Duck to eclipse 30 points this season with a pair of helpers. He collected four points in Anaheim's weekend back-to-back and has found the scoresheet in 10 of his last 14 games. Terry leads Anaheim in assists (20) this season.

Carlsson has three points, all assists, in his first four games back from a sprained MCL. The 19-year-old center ranks second among all NHL rookies in points per game this season (.667), trailing only Chicago's Connor Bedard.

New York nearly got back within one midway through the second when a rebound shot trickled through Dostal's five-hole and sat on the goal line, but Mason McTavish pulled itt off the stripe at the last second to keep Anaheim up two. 

Instead Trocheck pulled the Rangers within one in the final minutes of the period, lifting a centering pass from Kreider through Dostal for a power-play goal.

Kreider has points in four straight games and six of his last seven. Now in his 12th NHL season, all with the Rangers, Kreider ranks 10th in club history in points (519) and third in goals (287).

Anaheim appeared to restore the two-goal cushion in the third when Mason McTavish tapped home a rebound opportunity at the far post, but the play was determined to have been offside after a New York challenge.

The disallowed goal would quickly prove costly for the hosts too as Cuylle tied the game a few minutes later with a deflection of captain Jacob Trouba's point shot.

Panarin then netted what would prove to be the game-winning goal with a power-play one-timer from the left circle, taking advantage of a brilliant cross-ice pass by Adam Fox.

Kreider added an insurance marker on the next shift, batting a puck out of mid-air over Dostal's shoulder just seconds after Anaheim had nearly answered right back with the tying goal.

Veset hit the empty net with 35 seconds to play.

The Ducks conclude a brief two-game homestand Tuesday against Buffalo.