Rickard Rakell, Ryan Getzlaf stay hot as Ducks rout Canucks

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Christopher Tanev (8) tries to clear Anaheim Ducks center Antoine Vermette (50) from Canucks goaltender Anders Nilsson (31) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks center Michael Chaput (45) fights with Anaheim Ducks centre Chris Wagner during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks center Henrik Sedin (33) bangs into Canucks goaltender Anders Nilsson (31) as Anaheim Ducks center Antoine Vermette (50) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Christopher Tanev (8) gets the puck away from Anaheim Ducks left wing Andrew Cogliano (7) as Canucks goaltender Anders Nilsson (31) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks center Markus Granlund (60) fights for control of the puck with Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks center Markus Granlund (60) and Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Kesler (17) look for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) and Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg (33) try to get the puck past Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto (4) checks Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto, left, checks Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ducks center Rickard Rakell celebrates his goal with teammate Ryan Getzlaf, right, during the first period of their 5-0 victory over the Canucks on Tuesday night in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks defendeman Kevin Bieksa (3) stops Vancouver Canucks defedceman Troy Stecher (51) from getting a shot on Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller (30) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) and center Sam Gagner (89) fail to get a shot past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (15) watches as Vancouver Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin (22) fails to get a shot past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller (30) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks center Michael Chaput (45) fights with Anaheim Ducks centre Chris Wagner (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller (30) yells after losing his mask during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) clears Anaheim Ducks left wing Nick Ritchie (37) from in front of Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks center Chris Wagner (21) puts Vancouver Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto (4) into the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller’s mask falls off as Vancouver Canucks left wing Thomas Vanek (26) tries to get a shot on net during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks’ Josh Manson (42), Adam Henrique (14) and Hampus Lindholm (47) help goaltender Ryan Miller (30) contain the puck from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The hottest players for the Ducks are their best ones and that is fueling an opportunistic surge during a run of games within the Pacific Division.

Rickard Rakell scored for the sixth consecutive game and Ryan Getzlaf continued his tear since coming back from injury to power the Ducks past the injury-riddled Vancouver Canucks 5-0 on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena.

It wasn’t only those two as Adam Henrique also had a goal while defense partners Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson combined for five assists, with Manson getting three. Antoine Vermette added to the rout by scoring the 5,000th goal in the franchise’s 25-year history.

But with the way Rakell and Getzlaf are going at the moment, the Ducks (19-14-8) are simply following their lead. Rakell’s six-game goal streak is the longest current run in the NHL. Getzlaf, with a goal and two assists, has 16 points in 11 games since returning from a facial fracture that cost him five weeks.

“You want your top guys to feel good about themselves,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “When top players start to produce offensively, that’s how they feel good. They’re a contribution to our hockey club. It becomes one of those things where it’s expected.

“They get themselves in trouble because the coaching staff is going to ask for it every night.”

Derek Grant also scored to give Ryan Miller plenty of offensive support in the goalie’s first game back in Vancouver since signing with the Ducks as a free agent over the summer after three years with the Canucks. Miller thanked an appreciative crowd before the puck dropped and then made 31 saves for his second shutout.

“It was very nice of them,” said Miller, whose 41st career shutout put him into second place for American-born goalies. “I enjoyed my time here immensely. It was actually nice to go out after the (anthems) and give a nice thank you to the crowd. Real receptive to me over the years.

“My wife and I have great memories up here. My son was born here. It’s always going to have a big place in my heart beyond just the hockey.”

Canucks coach Travis Green has squeezed a lot out of an underwhelming roster but he’s operating without three of his better players in top-nine forwards Bo Horvat, Brendan Sutter and Sven Baertschi. But the first-year bench boss made the curious decision of starting backup Anders Nilsson.

Nilsson came in with a very subpar 3.39 goals-against average as usual starter Jacob Markstrom didn’t get the nod in a divisional game. And Green’s call didn’t look good when Henrique pushed a bad-angle shot by him inside the post. Henrique snapped a six-game pointless streak with his score.

Nilsson made some strong stops afterward, particularly on Kevin Roy and then Henrique. But the Ducks didn’t back off against an undermanned foe as Getzlaf twice set up Rakell for one-time shots. The first didn’t connect but the winger buried the second into the top right corner of the net.

“He’s finding spots,” Getzlaf said. “It’s not like he’s scoring from the corner and stuff like that. He’s getting into areas, allowing me to get him the puck. That’s part of building that chemistry with somebody and understanding – he knows what I’m going to do with the puck before I get it and so do I.

“It’s been fun for us to work together right now.”

It was another big first period for the Ducks, who’ve scored first in six straight games. Not surprisingly, that’s one reason why they have won five of six and hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference as their best stretch of the season has come while they’re playing their most impactful games to date.

The Canucks are fading from the playoff picture with a 2-9-1 skid over their last 12 games and their current injury situation doesn’t offer much hope as they hit the road for seven straight games.

“We’ve talked from day one that we want to put one foot in front of the other,” Green said. “We want to become a better hockey team. We want to play meaningful games down the stretch. Right now we’re going through some tough times with injuries and that’s part of the NHL.”

The Ducks added to their lead when Getzlaf redirected in Lindholm’s feed from the point. Vermette then delivered the milestone goal for the Ducks with a tic-tac-toe finish from Getzlaf and Rakell just 20 seconds into the third to end Nilsson’s rough night.

The goal that made history! #Ducks5kGoals

🎥➡ https://t.co/wulmwbnRPW pic.twitter.com/tegTK9ZLn5

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 3, 2018

Vermette, who wasn’t aware of what he had done, got the puck afterward and it figures to be signed by everyone involved in the score.

“Millsy tipped me off on something because I didn’t realize something was going on until I went to congratulate him after the game as everybody does,” he said. “He was like, ‘What was that puck for?’ I had no idea what he was talking about.

“Someone picked up that puck and then I knew something really was going on.”

History. Made. #Ducks5kGoals pic.twitter.com/Q7vrF0iWBz

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 3, 2018

Rickard Rakell, Ryan Getzlaf stay hot as Ducks rout Canucks

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