Frederik Andersen makes 40 saves, Ducks beat Nashville, 4-2

One of the most misleading statistics in the NHL was Frederik Andersen’s 0-5-2 record.

Given the way Andersen has protected the net for the Ducks, it seemed incomprehensible that it took until November to get his first victory. Yet, the calendar changed and so did the Ducks, who finally rewarded their goalie with a 4-2 victory over Nashville on Sunday at Honda Center.

“He’s kept us in games when we shouldn’t be close,” Rickard Rakell said. “For us to get this win for him and the team is huge and something we want to build off.”

Andersen made 40 saves, including 17 in the first period. Rakell, one of the Ducks’ best forwards this season, scored 71 seconds into the game to also set the tone. Chris Stewart contributed a goal and two assists after he had no points in his first 10 games as a Duck.

Baby steps, and much needed ones in the first game since General Manager Bob Murray issued a statement that quelled speculation about the immediate status of Coach Bruce Boudreau. If there was some extra exhaling in the helmet taps with teammates after the game, Andersen didn’t let on.

“It’s always nice to win if you had a rough start, but I think the better we played the last few games, I think that’s been more [of a] release,” Andersen said. “I think we’re seeing the right trend the last three or four games where we’ve played the right way but we didn’t get the bounces, but finally they went our way today.”

Rakell played the final 20-plus minutes without linemate Jiri Sekac, who left because of a lower-body injury after a tangle with Nashville’s Gabriel Bourque. Boudreau did not have an immediate update.

The Ducks still do not have any goals from Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler, and Rakell has taken up some slack. He faked out Ryan Ellis from behind the net and flipped a backhand past goalie Carter Hutton to start the game.

Rakell’s vision led to a 4-1 lead in the second period when he spotted defenseman Korbinian Holzer pinching down the right side and zipped a long diagonal pass to him.

Holzer’s shot trickled over to Stewart, who tapped it in for his first goal as a Duck.

Stewart wasn’t specifically acquired for scoring but admitted the zero weighed on him.

“Anytime you’re losing games, you definitely take a look in the mirror first,” Stewart said. “My play wasn’t good enough, and I’ve got to be better for this team.”

The Ducks took a 3-0 lead in the first period against Nashville, which had not given up a first-period goal this season.

Sami Vatanen ripped a slap shot past a screened Hutton, and 12 seconds later Andrew Cogliano got his first goal of the season on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Again, building blocks for the Ducks and their NHL-worst 14 goals.

“We’re not there yet,” Boudreau said. “But it gives us a sense of what we have to do to compete against the better teams, or any team in the NHL at this stage.”

sports@latimes.com