Advice to go to net pays off for Corey Perry, Ducks

ANAHEIM - Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle had a question for one of his struggling players, a gifted goal-scorer having difficulty regaining his touch.
It was Carlyle's way of making a point to forward Corey Perry, the teaching moment coming before the Ducks played the Carolina Hurricanes at Honda Center on Wednesday.

"I asked him before the game tonight, when was the last time he had a goalie interference penalty," Carlyle said. "He said, 'Did I hear you say that? Remember, you said so.' I said, 'Just remember you've got to get to the tough areas.'"
Class dismissed.
Carlyle was in the corridor outside the dressing room talking about Perry's breakthrough not long after the Ducks defeated the Hurricanes 6-5, thanks to rookie forward Ondrej Kase's winning goal in the shootout.
Perry scored his first goal in 19 games and, in fact, didn't come remotely close to interfering with Carolina goaltender Cam Ward on the play. His goal came with 2:28 remaining in regulation and sent the game into overtime after he assisted on Nick Ritchie's third-period goal, which pulled the Ducks within one with 3:59 left.
And so, the drought ended in a meaningful way. Perry scored his fifth of the season, managing to control a loose puck in the right circle and putting it past Ward on the stick side.
"It's nice to see it hit the back of the net for once and not the goalie," Perry said.
For Perry, it was the second-longest stretch without a goal in his NHL career. He went 20 games without scoring in 2005-06, his rookie season, well before the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007 and his 50-goal season and Hart Trophy in 2010-11.
Perry's last goal came on Oct. 26 against the Nashville Predators.
"You try to limit the peaks and valleys in a season," he said. "It's been a while since I scored. You forget that feeling. Hopefully it's in the past."
At his best, Perry does his damage in the tough areas in front of the net with a blend of skill and an agitating presence. According to a NHL graphic on Wednesday, the majority of the 34 goals scored by Perry last season were from inside of 15 feet.

Of late, the goals weren't coming from anywhere.
"I think he was he was drifting away from the play," Carlyle said. "He wasn't going to the tough areas. Part of it has to do with us because we've changed his position on the power play, too. We've put [Ryan] Kesler in front of the net.
"So maybe we should rethink that. There's always question marks. We just think if he gets inside, he gets his nose dirtier. He will eventually score and more pucks will come to him."
Perry has gone through prolonged stretches of adversity in his career. So has his longtime linemate, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf. Last season, Getzlaf didn't score his first even-strength goal until Feb. 4. His first goal during that season -- into an empty net -- came more than a month into the season, on Nov. 16.
"Anytime an elite scorer goes that number of games … there's always going to be question marks," Carlyle said. "Why? Why? Why? We felt [Perry] was still getting the chances and he was still helping create. But hopefully this is a load-lightening event for him and that he doesn't feel the pressure that I'm sure he's been feeling."
This was the Ducks' first game since losing 8-3 at the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Against the Hurricanes, Anaheim rallied three times from being down two goals to force overtime. In addition to Kase, Getzlaf scored in the shootout for the Ducks.
An upper-body injury to Ducks forward Rickard Rakell paved the way for the recall of forward Stefan Noesen on Wednesday from San Diego of the American Hockey League. Noesen, playing in his third NHL game, made the most of his latest opportunity and scored his first goal.
"I'm happy to get that first one out of the way," Noesen said. "I'm also happy that we got the win. It wasn't pretty. It was ugly. But two points are all that matters."
Noesen, who already has had two significant injuries in his career, will get a longer look this time, Carlyle said. He played one game for the Ducks last season and another in 2014-15.
"He's going to get a road test here," Carlyle said. "We're not just test driving tonight and going home tomorrow."
Perry took a moment from talking about the relief at breaking his slump to discuss Noesen's determination.
"He's had a tough start to his career," Perry said. "At the same time, it's nice when he comes in and gives us a little spark right away. That's huge. You love seeing guys score their first one.
"I know he'll remember it because I still remember mine."