Recap: Vatrano, Gibson Lead Ducks to 4-1 Win over Rival Sharks

Frank Vatrano scored twice and John Gibson made 25 saves, guiding the Ducks to a 4-1 victory over the rival San Jose Sharks tonight at Honda Center.

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With the win, Anaheim improved to 8-6-0 (16 points) on the season and capped a five-game homestand at 3-2-0. The Ducks now sit fourth in the Pacific Division, three points back of the Kings for the division's third automatic playoff berth.

Vatrano led the Ducks offensively with a three-point night, including a pair of first-period tallies for his third multi-goal performance of the season. Mason McTavish and Radko Gudas also scored. Ryan Strome, Pavel Mintyukov, Ilya Lyubushkin and Leo Carlsson registered assists.

Vatrano and McTavish both hit the 15-point mark in the win, the fourth-fastest pair of Ducks teammates to do so over the last 20 seasons (Getzlaf/Perry in 2014-15, Getzlaf/Selanne in 2010-11, Getzlaf/Perry in 2008/09).

Gibson turned in the latest dynamite goaltending performance for the Ducks in a young season already stocked full of them, turning aside 25-of-26 shots. Over his last three starts, Gibson owns a .957save percentage.

Luke Kunin scored the lone goal for the Sharks, who fell to 2-12-1 on the season and 1-4-0 against Pacific Division opponents. Mackenzie Blackwood made 40 saves.

Anaheim claimed an early advantage less than five minutes after puck drop, when Vatrano found free space in the slot after a won offensive zone faceoff and redirected Lyubushkin's point shot from high to low - and right between Blackwood's wickets.

With an assist, his team-leading 11th of the season, Strome now has points in back-to-back games. The second-year Duck, who would add another helper later on, has found the scoresheet in nine of his 13 appearances this season.

Lyubushkin's assist marked his second point as a Duck.

San Jose temporarily leveled the score with seven minutes to play in the period, as Kunin whacked a rebound out of mid-air from in tight after a shot off the wing by Hertl.

The assist gave Hertl 10 points in 15 games, making him the first Shark to reach the double-digit mark in scoring this season.

Anaheim would reclaim the lead before intermission though, going up 2-1 on an excellent power play by both of the man-advantage groups. After several close calls by the first unit, including a couple around the netfront for Leo Carlsson, Vatrano struck again with a howitzer of a one-timer, blasting his slapshot over Blackwood's glove for his second goal of the night.

Vatrano leads the Ducks with 11 goals this season and is now tied for second among league leaders. The 29-year-old winger has scored 32 goals in 94 games since joining Anaheim last season.

Fowler grabbed the primary assist on the go-ahead goal, his 330th career helper and eighth point in 14 games this season. The longest-tenured Duck has points in five of his last seven games.

The 2-1 lead lasted all the way until the opening minutes of the third, when McTavish shoveled home a sweet setup feed from Carlsson stationed in the right wing corner.

The 18-year-old Carlsson finished the homestand with five points in as many games, including his first career NHL hat trick. He's now tied for fourth among NHL rookies in points, one spot behind Minytukov.

Carlsson's multi-point night was his third in his first ten NHL games.

Mintyukov's assist moved him into third among NHL rookie scorers, and expanded his league-lead amongst first-year blueliners.

After going over 25 minutes without a goal, the next would hardly taken any time at all - as some good old-fashioned home cooking pushed the DUcks edge to three on the very next shift. As the puck came out to Gudas at the right point, the veteran defenseman elected to just fire it on net. Winger Mike Hoffman blocked the shot on the way, but unfortunately for the visiting Sharks, the carrom shot up high in the air and drifted right over Blackwood, dropping unimpeded into the net as a confused goaltender desperately searched for the puck.

The goal was Gudas' second as a Duck, matching his season-long total in 72 games with the Panthers last year.

Vatrano's assist secured his fifth three-point game with Anaheim.

That would be more than enough support for Gibson, who denied the final 22 San Jose shots as Anaheim cruised to a three-goal victory over its California rival.

The Ducks begin a two-game road trip Tuesday in Nashville.