Ducks power (play) their way past Senators, 5-1

The T-shirt was hung in Corey Perry’s locker earlier in the week, after he ended an 18-game scoring slump. It was difficult to miss, vibrant red with a Heinz ketchup logo taking up almost the entire front of it.

Apparently a teammate or coach placed it there in a nod to a well-known expression that Teemu Selanne often made about offense flowing like ketchup out of a bottle, because Perry is certainly apt for the analogy. Goals have flowed from the Ducks ever since Perry ended that drought, and his first power-play goal this season Sunday underlined three man-advantage scores by the Ducks in a 5-1 win against the Ottawa Senators.

Was it mojo from the T-shirt?

“It looks like it,” Antoine Vermette said. “Funny game sometimes, how it goes.”

It so went that Vermette, Sami Vatanen, Nick Ritchie and Joseph Cramarossa also scored as Anaheim moved into first place in the Pacific Division before the Ducks’ annual pre-Christmas trip, a daunting six games that are easier to swallow on the heels of a win.

“We were energized and we were ready to play,” Perry said. “Everybody in here knew what was at stake. It was our last one before we go on the road for a tough stretch. You need these two points.”

The Ducks have scored 13 goals in three games, a run that began as Perry ended his drought last Wednesday. The zero next to his name in the power-play category had partly to do with teammate Ryan Kesler occupying the net area that is so synonymous with Perry.

But Perry was back in his office for a turnaround tap-in goal for his second goal in three games to give the Ducks the lead for good at 2-1.

“Was that my first [power-play goal]?” Perry said when asked about the score. “The power play’s been working this year, so other guys are putting the puck in the net. Sure, it was nice to get one, but I wasn’t thinking about it.”

Vermette continued to show his scoring and playmaking touch with a first-period power-play goal and a terrific assist in the second. His shot from near the corner deflected in off Senators defenseman Cody Ceci for his second goal in as many games. Perhaps more impressive was his backhand pass through two defenders to set up Ritchie for a 4-1 lead.

Ritchie beat goalie Andrew Hammond, inserted in place of Mike Condon after Condon allowed three goals on 13 shots, for his seventh goal.

Vatanen ended a 24-game run without a goal when he pinched on the right side to put in Perry’s rebound on the power play in the third period. The Ducks’ revamped fourth line started the scoring three minutes into the game. Cramarossa tapped in a rebound off Josh Manson’s shot.

Defensively, the Ducks minimized work for goalie John Gibson and limited the Senators to 22 shots. Ottawa’s goal came on the power play on a terrific pass by former Ducks wing Bobby Ryan to Ryan Dzingel.

Overall, Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle likes what’s developed in their second three-game win streak this season. His forward lines have formed some identity and chemistry, and a lot more passes are connecting.

“Special teams seem to go in ebbs and flows … but our ability to play fast and execute fast is getting better,” Carlyle said. “I’m not saying it’s where it needs to be, but it’s getting better.”