What we learned from the Ducks’ 4-2 victory over the Kings

A few more takeaways after the Ducks equalized the season series against their SoCal rivals (1-1 now) and won their fifth straight game, a season-high, continuing their post-Christmas revival.

Sutter likes math: The topic was changing a goalie in the midst of a game. Kings Coach Darryl Sutter doesn’t often make the move until after a period. But he took starter Jonathan Quick out in the second period after Quick gave up the third goal.

Just like he did after Tuesday’s game -- regarding Dustin Brown’s goal-scoring proficiency against the Coyotes -- Sutter started with the math.

“Once in a while you pull your goalie,” Sutter said. “I believe there’s like, how many games in the NHL? ... I’ll bet there’s a chance a goalie gets pulled once in a while. Even the Anaheim Ducks pull their goalie once in a while.”

End of a tough streak: If you predicted that it would take until February for Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf to score his first even-strength goal of the season, well, you probably wouldn’t have had a lot of company.

Getzlaf broke through against the Kings in what was the Ducks’ 49th game of the season. For him, it was his 45th, as he missed four games in October because of an appendectomy

Ducks center Ryan Kesler was unaware that Getzlaf hadn’t scored an even-strength goal this season.

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“Really? He’s been doing a lot of other things well for us and it’s good to see him get one there,” Kesler said.

Recent acquisitions click: Interesting how the two moves that the Kings and Ducks made in January have paid immediate dividends. The Kings brought in defenseman Luke Schenn and center Vinny Lecavalier, via a trade with Philadelphia, and Lecavalier already has scored five goals in 12 games with the Kings.

Anaheim acquired left wing David Perron from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 15 and Perron has eight points in six games with the Ducks, including three points against the Kings on Thursday. It was his first three-point game in more than a year, since Jan. 13, 2015, against Minnesota when he was with the Penguins.

Sutter was asked about Perron, who has immediately clicked with Getzlaf. He ended up riffing on the Ducks.

“They’re a good hockey club,” Sutter said. “They were the team to beat, just ask most people in this room. They were supposed to win the Stanley Cup. They’re supposed to win the division. We’ve got to look at it like we’re in a series, we’re 1-1 with them.

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“Quite honest, this game was the same as the one in Anaheim last week or whenever it was. It was 3-1 at one point. That’s it. Two teams that normally don’t give up much.”

Earlier, he had a tighter analysis of what unfolded.

“Their centermen dominated our centermen,” Sutter said. “... not quite ready for that.”

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