Recap: Ducks Remain Undefeated at Home with 4-2 Victory Over Hurricanes

ANAHEIM -- The Ducks are proving that not only can they walk the walk, they can also talk the talk. After coming out to a sluggish start in their win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, the Ducks knew they had to rectify that in tonight's game against the impressive Carolina Hurricanes. It didn't take long for them to stay true to their word.

They came out of the gates flying tonight, scoring four unanswered goals in a 4-2 victory over the Hurricanes at Honda Center to improve their record to 6-2-0 overall and 4-0 at home. The Ducks jumped all over the Canes from the drop of the puck, breaking open the scoring just 4:06 into the game when Adam Henrique raced down the wing and sniped a shot past goaltender Petr Mrazek for his third goal and fifth point in the past two games.

"We liked it," head coach Dallas Eakins said on the Ducks' quick start tonight. "We tried to give them, rather than just walking in the room and saying, 'Hey, let's have a good start,' some tangible things to look for there. They, once again, took it to heart and we were able to get what we needed."
Making his second start of the season, 39-year-old netminder Ryan Miller delivered a 22-save performance to keep the Ducks' undefeated home streak alive. It marked the third time in franchise history the Ducks have won four in a row at home to start the season, and the first time since the 2014-15 campaign. With the victory, the Ducks posted their best start since 2014-15 (7-1-0) in both wins and points.
Miller credited his teammates for clearing lanes and keeping Carolina's top players from generating quality chances. "I thought all night we did a really good job of that," he said. "We had the puck a lot and we were pushing. I thought we were over top of their players and their skill players quite a bit tonight. It was really good."
Holding their foot on the gas, the Ducks doubled their lead at the 13:44 mark of the opening frame when Troy Terry tipped in Cam Fowler's shot for his first goal of the season. The goal was another example of Anaheim's defensemen joining the rush, as it was Fowler who entered the zone untouched and unloaded a shot from the high slot off a heads-up feed from Sam Steel.

The Ducks weren't done. They continued a trend of dominance in the early parts of the second period when Jakob Silfverberg tucked in his own rebound just 37 seconds in, giving him his fourth point (2g/2a) in the past two games. Tonight's contest also marked a milestone for the 29-year-old Swede, who played his 500th career game (his 452nd with the Ducks).

So far this season, the Ducks have shown an ability to hold onto leads - a quality that, according to Silfverberg, starts with Eakins. "I think we're doing a good job of staying calm and making sure we're still out there to score that next goal," he said. "We're not just sitting back and receiving the game. I think when you start doing that, you end up getting caught and get extended shifts. That leads to trouble. I think we're doing a good job, starting with Dallas behind this new bench. He's getting fresh guys out there. He's keeping short shifts and making sure everyone is ready to go out there to score the next goal."
It wasn't just even strength where the Ducks left their mark. Five minutes after Silfverberg padded the lead to 3-0, Carter Rowney tallied a shorthanded goal - the third shorty of his career - that caromed off the back bar and flew back out in the blink of an eye. That spelled the end of the night for Mrazek, who came in with a 4-0 record, 1.94 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. Veteran netminder James Reimer took over and finished the game for the Hurricanes, who dropped their second straight and fell to 6-3-0. Carolina's push came in the second period when Erik Haula and Haydn Fleury scored consecutive goals to cut the deficit in half.

"We know we have a strong team and we know we can play this kind of hockey with a lot speed and a lot of puck management," said Silfverberg. "Obviously, it gives us confidence, but at the same time, we need to stay humble. We can't get too comfortable here. We're always looking to improve but obviously beating teams like this is good for the group."
The Ducks will look to sweep their three-game homestand Sunday night against the Calgary Flames.