What we learned from the Ducks’ 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks

They’re scorers, not fighters, although Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry did their best Sunday night making audition tapes for WWE and boxing promoters.

In a 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks, the Ducks were met by a desperate Pacific Division rival who outhustled and outworked them early and ultimately drew the hosts into displays of anger and frustration that generated a staggering final tally.

The teams combined for 37 penalties and 165 penalty minutes, seven misconducts, a game misconduct on San Jose forward John Scott for leaving the bench in the third period and some pugilistic entertainment to distract from the ugliness of Anaheim’s four-goal deficit just past the midway point of the third period.

“They played like the Sharks can play,” Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “They were extremely good. And we weren’t ready.”

Where does that leave the Ducks (7-2), who watched their seven-game winning streak vanquished by a team that had dropped four straight?

Better bury it

San Jose was the start of the Ducks’ five-game stretch against returning Western Conference playoff teams, and the next four are on the road, beginning Tuesday in Chicago.

“We started winning the wrong way, we weren’t playing our best every game – still got the two points in those seven games – started thinking it was too easy,” said Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen after watching his 6-0 start soiled by four goals allowed on 36 shots. “Then stuff happens when you run into a good team.”

There’s more of that, of course. Thursday in St. Louis. Friday in Dallas. Sunday in Colorado.

“We’ve got to be better,” Andersen said.

Can the Ducks view Sunday’s loss as a ‘cheap lesson?’

That’s what Boudreau said he hopes the defeat will be, and not have a “snowball effect.”

Certainly, opponents are going to look to agitate Perry and Getzlaf, who started Sunday as the NHL’s goals and assists leaders, respectively.

Cheap ploys like Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s shoving Perry from the back to the boards and grating words delivered to Getzlaf can be hard to swallow, but the veterans have enough experience to know the most effective response is more points.

When it became clear that wasn’t happening Sunday, they lashed out – Perry leaving for good 12:58 into the third period, Getzlaf with 3:06 left.

“I wanted them on the power play,” Boudreau said.

But there were only six players on the Ducks bench following five misconducts and Getzlaf’s fighting major penalty.

The first road game will set the tone

The Ducks took an eight-game winning streak to United Center last January, and on a snowy night, the string ended.

That defeat hung in the air, like a hump the Ducks were incapable of getting over.

After losing to the then-defending champions, the Ducks didn’t win more than three straight again until closing with four victories.

If they stare down the test of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to start this journey, St.Louis, Dallas and Colorado seem far less imposing.

They won’t need any more motivation for the Sharks with four meetings remaining

The teams renew their acquaintances Nov. 29 in San Jose, Dec. 22 and 31 at Honda Center and Jan. 29 at HP Pavilion.

“They were cruising along and playing real well, and we were frustrated because we had been losing,” San Jose Coach Todd McLellan said. “Paths kind of crossed and things flipped over. The rivalry, they’re a competitive group, we’re a competitive group, so that’s how it went.”