Recap: Stolarz's Shutout Backstops Ducks to 4-0 Win

Anthony Stolarz posted a 34-save shutout, leading the Ducks to a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators today at Honda Center. With the win, Anaheim improves to 11-7-3 to sit third in the Pacific Division in points (25).
NHL GAMECENTER | PHOTO GALLERY

Making his first start since Nov. 5, Stolarz stopped all 34 Ottawa shots for his fourth career NHL shutout, his second as a Duck.
"It's a credit to his work ethic," Derek Grant said of Stolarz. "His habits in practice are phenomenal...He's a tough guy to score on, even in practice. It's not an easy job when you're not playing, especially for those long periods of time. He's a great guy, he's humble, and he stays focused, and he stays ready, even on the bench. It's tough to sit there and watch, but you always gotta be ready, and he's a guy that's pretty even-keeled. You can't really tell if he's playing or he's not playing, he prepares the same every day. I think that's a testament to his professionalism, his character, and obviously you saw what he can do tonight."
"It wasn't just a testament to me. It was a testament to the guys out there," Stolarz added. "They were battling hard, blocking shots. The couple breakdowns that we did have, it was up to me to kind of make a big save. I left a couple rebounds out there and guys did a great job."
The win also moves the Ducks to 8-3-1 on home ice. With wins in seven of their past eight games at Honda Center, Anaheim is third among league leaders in home points (17) and tied for third in home wins (eight).
Isac Lundestrom, Derek Grant, Troy Terry and Rickard Rakell scored for Anaheim. Trevor Zegras added two assists in the Ducks' 11th win of the season.
Anaheim opened the scoring late in the initial period on a connection by a couple of Swedes. With the Ducks on the forecheck, Rickard Rakell caused an Ottawa turnover below the goal line, corralled the loose puck and quickly fed it to Lundestrom in front, who shoveled it by Senators netminder Anton Forsberg for his fourth goal of the season.

With a goal and an assist today, Rakell now has points in three straight games (2-2=4) since returning from an upper-body injury. Lundestrom's goal snapped a six-game pointless drought after the 22-year-old center had opened the season with 10 points in his first 14 appearances.
Stolarz stood tall early in the second period as Ottawa searched for the tying goal, making several key saves with the Ducks shorthanded to keep the visitors off the board.
Anaheim doubled the lead in the middle frame thanks to some home cooking, a fortuitious bounce than ended up in the Ottawa net. With Terry off for tripping, Grant and Jakob Silfverberg attacked the offensive zone on a two-on-two. Silfverberg delivered a pass to Grant streaking down the middle, but Forsberg denied the initial bid. Senators defenseman Victor Mete swung in to clear the puck, batting it out of mid-air as it rebounded off his goaltender, but had his attempt bounce off forward Tyler Ennis and into the net, giving Anaheim a two-goal advantage.

The Ducks killed all four Ottawa power plays in the victory, improving to 29-for-31 (93.5%) in the last 12 games.
"I think we got the puck in deep, kind of used our forecheck to cycle and wear them out a little bit," Stolarz said. "You look at a couple of long shifts in their end, kind of tired them out. Any time you can pin them in their zone, it's less chances and less time that they're going to have."
Anaheim held the two-goal lead for most of the second period and appeared ready to take it into the second intermission, but a late Senators penalty gave the Ducks a chance for one more before the end of the frame and the home team capitalized. Trevor Zegras brought the puck over the blue line with a nifty move, drawing Senators defenders to the left side of the ice before zipping a pass to Terry on the opposite wing. Terry caught the pass in stride, cutting into the slot and beating Forsberg with a backhand shot in tight, putting Anaheim ahead by three heading into the third period.

As Anaheim headed into the Ottawa end of the ice, a deflected pass popped high in the air. Sonny Milano waited underneath, settling it down and bringing it to the middle of the ice before sliding it to Zegras on left wing. Zegras wasted no time, collecting it and then firing a pass of his own to Rakell on the doorstep for the tap-in goal.

Anaheim concludes its brief two-game homestand Sunday against Toronto.