Dostal makes 52 saves, Ducks hold off Devils

ANAHEIM -- Lukas Dostal made 52 saves for the Anaheim Ducks, who held off the New Jersey Devils for a 4-3 win at Honda Center on Friday.

Dostal’s save total surpassed Frederik Andersen (49 saves on March 2, 2014) for the most in a victory by a rookie goaltender in Ducks history.

"It's my job to be there," Dostal said. "Just stop the pucks."

Jack Hughes was unable to tie it on a penalty shot with three seconds left in the third period, losing control of the puck before he could get off a shot.

"Just not a good play by me," Hughes said.

The Devils were awarded the penalty shot after Frank Vatrano intentionally knocked the net off its moorings intentionally during a scramble for the puck behind the net.

"I knew it was a penalty, I just didn't know it was a penalty shot, so I wouldn't have done that," Vatrano said. "When I last looked at the puck, it was kind of laying on the goal line. ... By the time I pushed the net off, the puck was already behind the net. It was one of those reactionary plays."

Vatrano scored twice, and Max Jones had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (22-35-3), who have won two in a row and were coming off a 6-4 win at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Anaheim forward Mason McTavish left at 19:05 of the first period after suffering a lower-body injury and did not return. Ducks coach Greg Cronin did not have an update following the game.

Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist, Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist and Luke Hughes had two assists for the Devils (30-26-4), who have lost four of six (2-4-0). Nico Daws allowed four goals on 14 shots before he was replaced by Akira Schmid to start the third period. Schmid stopped all nine shots he faced.

"We've got to take it in our game that we're fighting for our lives," New Jersey forward Timo Meier said. "We've got to go into every battle wanting to win it.”

Vatrano gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 3:37 of the first period, scoring five-hole from the right circle on the first shot of the game.

Meier tied it 1-1 at 17:24, scoring on a rebound following back-to-back saves by Dostal on Toffoli and Jack Hughes from in close.

Adam Henrique put the Ducks back ahead 2-1 at 18:15 when he scored on a wraparound after Anaheim won the puck on the forecheck.

The Devils outshot the Ducks 19-7 in the first period and 55-23 for the game.

Jones extended it to 3-1 at 13:47 of the second period, redirecting a pass from Gustav Nyquist into the top of the net.

"I kind of just found a soft spot and hoped [Nyquist] saw me and he did," Jones said. "Great look, great pass, great pass shot, so just had to deflect it into the net."

Jack Hughes cut it to 3-2 at 15:27 on the power play with a wrist shot from the right circle.

Vatrano made it 4-2 at 17:08 when he received a pass from Troy Terry as he cut through the slot off the rush and scored on the backhand.

Toffoli scored with the two-man advantage to cut it to 4-3 at 17:03 of the third after New Jersey went on the power play at 15:40 and pulled Schmid for the extra skater.

"We had tons of chances but just gave up too much again," Devils forward Nico Hischier said. "We should win that game 3-1, 3-2."

NOTES: Hischier assisted on Toffoli's goal to give him 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) over his past 14 games. ... Anaheim recalled defenseman Olen Zellweger from San Diego of the American Hockey League on Friday and he entered the lineup for Cam Fowler, who sat out with a facial laceration after getting struck with the puck against the Sharks on Thursday. Zellweger had two shots on goal in 17:27 of ice time. ... Terry returned after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury. ... Anaheim rookie forward Leo Carlsson sat out with an upper-body injury sustained in the third period against the Sharks and is day-to-day. ... Henrique extended his point streak to four games (two goals, four assists) and moved into a tie with Scott Niedermayer for 10th on the franchise’s all-time points list (264).