Recap: Ducks Fall 3-2 to Canucks, Split Road Back-to-Back

Sam Colangelo and Brian Dumoulin scored but the Ducks could not complete a third-period comeback tonight in the second half of a road back-to-back, falling 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.

NHL GAMECENTER | DUCKS STREAM

The loss dropped Anaheim to 27-27-6 on the season, six points back of a playoff spot.

Colangelo and Dumoulin powered the Anaheim attack on a night which the Ducks struggled to solve the Vancouver defense, ultimately getting back within a goal late in the third but failing to find an equalizer. Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Isac Lundestrom and Brett Leason collected assists. John Gibson and Lukas Dostal combined to stop 33-of-36 Vancouver shots.

Jake DeBrusk, Teddy Blueger and Carson Soucy scored for the Canucks, who moved into a tie with Calgary for the final Western Conference Wild Card berth. Kevin Lankinen, recently signed to a five-year extension, earned his 21st win of the season with 14 saves.

Vancouver controlled the pace of play in the first period, and nearly claimed the night's opening goal on several occasions, only to be foiled by Gibson in the Anaheim crease. The netminder's best work came just 66 seconds after puck drop on a backdoor pass to Brock Boeser that appeared ticketed for the back of the net, only for Gibson to stretch out his left leg pad and then spin around with the glove to cover the floating rebound.

Instead it would be Anaheim going ahead first, with the newly united line of Colangelo, Gauthier and McTavish once again leading the way. McTavish gained the offensive zone on right wing, drifting down the wall and leaving a pass behind for Gauthier, who quickly fired it to the net for a tip-in by Colangelo parked right in front of Lankinen.

Colangelo has earned three points in as many games since his recall from AHL San Diego, including his third and fourth career NHL goals.

McTavish, back at the center position the last two nights with the return of Trevor Zegras, owns seven points and a +6 rating in his last six games.

Vancouver tied the game early in the second period on its third power-play opportunity, with DeBrusk beating Gibson over the blocker on a partial breakaway.

Blueger then put the Canucks ahead on a tough bounce for the visitors, a wrister off Jackson LaCombe's shin pad and under Gibson's glove.

Gibson left the game with a lower-body injury late in the middle frame as Vancouver's Drew O'Connor went crashing into the crease and knocked the Anaheim goaltender back into the net. O'Connor was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for goaltender interference. Gibson did not return.

Soucy made it 3-1 Vancouver with just over a minute left in the second, one-timing a pass from winger Nils Hoglander through a sea of bodies around the crease and past Dostal. Anaheim would challenge the goal, as both Kiefer Sherwood and Teddy Blueger made contact with Dostal in the blue paint while jousting with Ducks defensemen, including a shove to the goalie's back as the shot was released. The call would be upheld though, as the league's situation room ruled the interference with Dostal was caused by the Anaheim defenders.

The Ducks got back within a goal with just six minutes to go in regulation, when Dumoulin crashed the net and punched home a rebound off Lundestrom's shot from the low slot.

The goal was Dumoulin's second of the season and his second point in the last three games.

That would be as close as Anaheim would get though, as a late penalty and a couple final stops from Lankinen preserved a crucial win for Vancouver on home ice.

The Ducks begin a three-game homestand Friday against St. Louis.