Nexen Tire High Performance Moments of the 2021-22 Season: 20-16

With the 2021-22 season in the books, AnaheimDucks.com takes a look back at some of the memorable moments from an exciting campaign in Anaheim. Today, the countdown continues with Moments 20-16. For Moments 25-21,
click here
.

#20 - Lukas Dostal Collects First NHL Win
The Ducks enjoyed the results from the stable goaltending duo of John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz throughout the 2021-22 season, but also got a glimpse of the club's talented young netminder continuing his climb to the NHL.

With Gibson sidelined and Anaheim facing a home back-to-back on Angels Night at Honda Center, Dostal was sprung into action for his Ducks debut. The 21-year-old Czech native rose to the occasion, stopping 36-of-39 Detroit shots and both shootout attempts
to earn his first career NHL victory
.

"I didn't feel nervous, to be honest," Dostal said postgame. "I felt so excited and had courage before the game. It was going to be the tempo compared to the AHL. I wanted to just enjoy the moment, because it's huge. You're dreaming about it as a kid to play your first [NHL] game. It's unreal, and I'm so blessed."

Dostal became the first Ducks goaltender to win his NHL debut since Kevin Boyle in 2019, and his 33 saves are the most by a Duck in an NHL debut.
"He was unbelievable," head coach Dallas Eakins said. "I thought he was excellent in that net. Late in the game, he made some critical saves. In overtime there, we just couldn't get the puck back. I think it was over two minutes, closer to three. It seemed like an eternity, but he held us in there. And then to win the game in the shootout, what an incredible night for the kid."

The rookie backstop did his best work in overtime when Detroit hemmed Anaheim in its own zone for more than three minutes, but the Wings could not solve Dostal before the final buzzer. The Ducks then grabbed the extra standings point in the shootout, thanks to two final stops from Dostal and goals from Trevor Zegras and Rickard Rakell.
"Really easy kid to cheer for," Eakins said. "He's a 10 out of 10 human being, super engaging, he's an intelligent kid, so well-mannered. This kid's parents have done an incredible job raising this young man. To see his emotion and our players' emotions and our staff's emotions after him getting his first win is really special."
#19 - Corey Perry Returns to Honda Center
Anaheim's big win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs was far from the only special moment on Jan. 21, as the Ducks faithful welcomed back one of the most accomplished players in franchise history, Corey Perry, to the Honda Center ice for the first time as an opposing player.

"To play in front of these fans again, it was pretty special," Perry said. "This was home for 14 years and to come back, and obviously it didn't go the way we planned, the way I wanted it to, but it was an emotional day and glad that one is out of the way."

Perry played 988 games for the Ducks from 2005-19 and ranks among the top five in nearly every offensive category in Anaheim's record books. He saluted the Ducks crowd after a special tribute message was shown in the arena during a first-period television timeout, highlighting Perry's incredible on-ice impact as a Duck, his often hilarious antics and his dedication to giving back to the Anaheim community.

"It was fun," Gibson said of facing his longtime teammate. "I was with him for so many years. We always went back and forth. It brought back the old times of being at practice having fun with each other and competing against each other."

For more on Anaheim's win 5-1 over Tampa Bay and moments #25-21,
click here
.
#18 - Terry Buries First Career NHL Hat Trick
One of many special nights in his remarkable breakout season, winger Troy Terry hit the 20-goal mark in style on Jan. 4 at Honda Center, scoring his first career hat trick and leading the Ducks to a
4-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers
.

"I'm extremely proud of Troy Terry," Eakins said. "I've seen this kid right from day one. For him to be where he's at, goal-scoring, as a big influencer and driver on our team, it's fun to watch. I think that's one of the real privileges of coaching is to see these guys grow into players."

The 24-year-old winger opened the scoring just three minutes after the night's initial faceoff, but Ducks fans had to wait a few extra moments to celebrate the goal, and then another couple minutes before realizing the goal scorer was in fact Terry.

Terry doubled the lead later in the first period, getting to a loose puck at center ice, racing around Flyers defender Travis Sanheim for a breakaway and then lifting a backhand shot past an outstretched Hart.

He would cap the hat trick performance, the 59th in Ducks history, with an empty-net tally after an unselfish neutral zone play by Max Comtois, sealing the Ducks' first win of the 2022 calendar year.

"In my mind, I was 100 percent trying to go to him. I didn't care if I was going to get hit in the third row of the stands," Comtois said. "That puck was going to his stick. I think he's having an awesome year. Twenty-one goals already, tied with a lot of good players in this league. That just proves how good of a player he is. He finds the right spot on the ice, he attacks defensemen, he's not scared of using his skill. One hundred percent that puck was going to him."

Following the win, Terry ranked third among NHL leaders in goals (21), behind only Leon Draisaitl and Alex Ovechkin. Terry also became the second-fastest Duck to reach 20 goals, trailing only Perry.

#17 - Terry and Gibson Named NHL All-Stars
After a stellar first half of the regular season, Gibson earned his third career NHL All-Star nod the normal way when he was announced as Anaheim's representative and one of two Pacific Division goaltenders heading to Las Vegas.

Terry took a much more unique path, earning his first career All-Star appearance as the winner of the NHL's Last Men In fan vote.

Since the Denver native was away from the team after a positive COVID-19 test, his coaches and teammates surprised him with a special zoom session, celebrating a player who had become a crucial part of the team's growing tight-knit culture.

"He's been playing really good hockey. He's been playing the right way and doing the right things and he's getting rewarded for it," Getzlaf said.
"When Troy's playing with confidence, he's playing with the confidence to shoot that puck and score," Gibson added. "I think the biggest for him is he's put in the work, he's put in the time in the offseason and now he's going out there and having fun and playing with confidence."

At the time, Terry had already set career bests in scoring, goals and assists. He ranked third among league leaders in shooting percentage, tied for third in game-winning goals and overtime goals, tied for fourth in even strength goals and sixth in goals. He had also completed one of the most impressive scoring streaks in Ducks history, with more on that to come later in the countdown.
#16 - McTavish Becomes Youngest Duck Goal Scorer
When then 18-year-old Mason McTavish came to Ducks training camp, it did not take long to see why Ducks management had targeted the skilled, tough and already mature pivotman to become a big part of Anaheim's rebuild and developing young core.
What was not initially evident to most though was the young man's potential to make an immediate impact at the NHL level, something he displayed in grand style
on opening night at Honda Center
.

Skating on a line with Isac Lundestrom and Jakob Silfverberg, McTavish was already one of the youngest players in franchise history to make his NHL debut. He doubled down with a special moment at Honda Center, becoming the youngest goal scorer in Ducks history when he buried a rebound against former Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.

"I couldn't have dreamed it any better, to be honest," McTavish said. "With the big win and the goal, it's definitely one I'll never forget."

"That is the fun part of being a coach," Eakins said. "An 18-year-old kid comes in and he hangs around long enough to make your roster. He gets a little adversity thrown at him and he has a hell of a night."

Among all NHL players, McTavish was the youngest to score in his debut in five years exactly (Patrik Laine of WPG vs. CAR, Oct. 13, 2016) and the seventh youngest in 25 years (Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, Aleksander Barkov, Rick Nash, Nikita Filatov, Marian Gaborik).

McTavish also became the second-youngest player to score within 15 minutes of his NHL debut in over 25 years (Nikita Filatov, Oct. 17, 2008 of CBJ vs. NSH) and the sixth-youngest to do so in NHL history.