What we learned from the Ducks’ 3-2 win over Florida

The Ducks, for only the second time this season, reeled off consecutive victories in regulation with a 3-2 defeat of the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Thanks in large part to their goaltender, John Gibson, who swatted away 50 shots, the Ducks are in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference as they enter Game 20 on Monday. Here’s what we learned.

Josh Manson isn’t just a stay-at-home defenseman. His 10 points are tied with Brandon Montour for the team lead among blueliners, and Manson’s goal against the Panthers illustrated his worth on the offensive side. He burst through center ice, collected the puck for the breakaway, and then beat Roberto Luongo with a backhand deke. Those are the kind of plays the Ducks surely have been looking for.

Montour flashed again, too. The second-year man again scored a goal (his sixth of the season is only one behind Rickard Rakell for the team lead), and this one was a beauty. Montour rocketed a rebound past Luongo from in close for the power-play tally, and with the young defenseman’s emergence, it’s clear the Ducks own one of the best defensive cores in all of hockey.

Add in a soon-to-be returning Cam Fowler along with Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, and Manson, and you have five indispensable players on the back end. Fowler should be back this week, so that means either Francois Beauchemin or Kevin Bieksa will be exiting the lineup. And when they do, the Ducks will boast a defense with all but one 26 years or younger.

Gibson can’t play this way every night. He’s been stellar so far this campaign with a.924 save percentage, and the 24-year-old seems to improve each time out. But this kind of workload will soon take its toll, especially as the schedule condenses. The Ducks need to be stronger on the puck and limit the number of shots their goalie faces. They also need Ryan Miller to return, so Gibson can receive a breather every now and then.

Playoff hunt heats up. Now that the team is preparing for Game 20 against the San Jose Sharks on Monday night, that means about a quarter of the season is over. And that also means it’s not too early to think about the standings. Sunday’s outing was the first of five in seven nights, and with three of those contests against fellow Pacific Division clubs, the Ducks will have a chance to catch up ground.

At 9-7-3 (21 points), the Ducks are just five points behind the division-leading Kings, and their Southern California foes are struggling, with only one victory in their last six games.