National Hockey League
Anaheim 4, Boston 0
When: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, March 18, 2016
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Referees: Chris Lee, Brian Pochmara
Linesmen: Shane Heyer, Mark Wheler
Attendance: 16707

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With goalie John Gibson incapacitated, Frederik Andersen foiled the Eastern Conference's hottest road team for the Anaheim Ducks.

Andersen stopped 38 shots in his second shutout of the season to lead the Ducks to a 4-0 rout of the Boston Bruins on Friday night in front of 16,707 at the Honda Center.

"Their goaltender really stood tall when he had to," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "We played well enough that we should have had a chance tonight. We had as many opportunities as they did."

Ryan Kesler, Rickard Rakell, Hampus Lindholm and Jamie McGinn scored for the Ducks (39-22-9), who moved within four points of the first-place Los Angeles Kings and three ahead of the San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division.

"We had a lot of time in their zone," Lindholm said. "We know they're a trapping team and they're really good in the neutral zone. We wanted to be really strong on the puck and always get it deep."

Goalie Jonas Gustavsson made 22 saves in his 17th start for the Bruins (39-25-8), who lost only their ninth road game of the season and their fourth in the past 15 away from TD Garden.

"They're a big team and they have a lot of skill," Bruins left winger Brad Marchand said of the Ducks. "They hold on to the puck and they cycle really well. When you have big guys like that with that kind of skill, it's sometimes hard to take the puck away from them."

Boston remains three points behind the first-place Florida Panthers and one ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.

Andersen and Gibson, both among the top five in goals-against average, have been alternating every two games since mid-January. On that schedule, Gibson would have started against Boston.

But the rookie did not practice Thursday because of the stomach flu, so Andersen replaced him in the net.

"I was told this morning to get ready for the game," Andersen said. "I didn't feel my best in the warm-ups but I got it done. We came out hot and got it going right away."

Anaheim took a 2-0 lead before five minutes elapsed. McGinn scored his 18th goal of the season in unusual fashion 2:51 into the game.

Right winger Corey Perry unleashed a slap shot from the left point that deflected off Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid and McGinn before trickling into the net.

Then 1:16 later, Kesler exploited another deflection. Jakob Silfverberg began the scoring sequence by stealing the puck from Lee Stempniak at the left boards and freeing Andrew Cogliano for a run down the wing.

Cogliano's wrist shot from the left circle ricocheted off Gustavsson's glove and bounced behind him. Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg lunged toward the right post to try to keep the puck out of the net, but Kesler beat Seidenberg to it and tapped it in for his 16th goal of the season.

The Bruins generated three good chances to break the shutout in the second period. With 5:30 gone in the period, Loui Eriksson dragged a rising wrist shot from the top of the slot that Andersen deflected over the net with his glove.

Boston had a two-on-one rush with 5:30 left in the second period, but Andersen stopped Patrice Bergeron's attempt to redirect Marchand's pass from the left wing into the net before Bergeron slid into the net.

"You really knew when he stopped that two-on-one that he was really feeling it," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said about Andersen. "He was outstanding tonight with the chances they had."

Then with about one minute remaining, Andersen sprawled over the puck at the left post to keep Eriksson from converting the rebound of David Krejci's tip-in.

"That made it easier on us," Lindholm said about Andersen's performance in the second period. "Then we could go out and get some more goals."

Lindholm used his ninth goal 58 seconds into the third period to give Anaheim a 3-0 lead. Ryan Getzlaf stole the puck from John-Michael Liles at the boards behind the net and passed to Lindholm, who flicked a quick wrist shot from the left circle.

Rakell ended the scoring with 5:32 left by sending a wrist shot from the right circle inside the left post.

Bruins left winger Matt Beleskey went to the dressing room with 3:44 left in the first period after taking a stick in the face from Ducks defenseman Simon Despres. Beleskey was bent at the waist and needed help leaving the ice but returned for the second period.

NOTES: Boston scratched RW Jimmy Hayes, D Joe Morrow and D Zach Trotman. ... Bruins G Tuukka Rask needs one shutout to tie G Tim Thomas for third place on the club's all-time list. ... Bruins LW Matt Beleskey, who spent his first six seasons with the Ducks, played his first game in Anaheim since signing as a free-agent contract in July. ... Bruins C Chris Kelly skated with teammates for the first time Tuesday during an optional practice. Kelly broke his left femur Nov. 3 against the Dallas Stars. ... Anaheim scratched D Korbinian Holzer, C Mike Santorelli, C Nate Thompson and D Sami Vatanen. ... Ducks C Ryan Kesler began the day leading the NHL by winning 58.9 percent of his faceoffs.
Top Game Performances
 
Boston   Anaheim
N/A Points Hampus Lindholm 2
N/A Goals Hampus Lindholm 1
N/A Assists Ryan Getzlaf 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonas Gustavsson .846 Save Percentage Frederik Andersen 1.000
Jonas Gustavsson 22 Saves Frederik Andersen 38
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Boston 38 0 0-2 2-2 11 22
Anaheim 26 4 0-2 2-2 11 25
Upcoming Games
  • Anaheim will play their next game on the road against Winnipeg. The Ducks have a W/L % of .564 after a win and .548 after a loss.
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Los Angeles. The Bruins have a W/L % of .487 after a win and .606 after a loss.