Jomphe-Start Gets Ducks Rolling, 5-4

That was some weird, wild stuff at the Pond of Anaheim on Friday night, where the Mighty Ducks’ J.F. Jomphe scored two goals in 13 seconds and Peter Bondra of the Washington Capitals scored a hat trick despite missing a penalty shot.

Jomphe’s rare feat helped bring the Ducks from behind for a 5-4 victory in front of 17,174.

His first goal, at 17:51 of the second period, pulled the Ducks into a 3-3 tie after trailing by two goals in the first. Jomphe took a pass from Jari Kurri and lifted the puck into the top of the net over the stacked pads of goalie Jim Carey. A mere 13 seconds later, Jomphe came flying down the left wing and scored the go-ahead goal, setting off his own exuberant celebration.

It was not only a club record for fastest two goals by one player, but also for the fastest two goals by any two players.

The NHL record--two goals by the same player in four seconds--is shared by Deron Quint, who scored twice in that span for Winnipeg in 1995, and Nels Stewart of the Montreal Maroons, who accomplished the feat in 1931.

Bondra, Washington’s leading scorer, was playing his first game after sitting out two weeks because of a groin strain, and tried mightily to pull the Capitals out of a losing streak that was extended to five games.

He gave the Ducks a scare with 31 seconds left in the game when he cut the lead to one, completing the eighth hat trick of his career when he scored his 13th goal of the season with Washington holding a two-man advantage after pulling the goalie while already on a power play. But the Ducks fended off the final, frantic attack.

“It was wild,” Coach Ron Wilson said. “I was really happy with our effort. We’ve got six or seven guys with flu, including Paul [Kariya] and Teemu [Selanne]. I wasn’t sure we’d be able to get ourselves back into it after the first.”

Bondra scored twice in the first period--the first goal short-handed--and got a gift-wrapped chance for his third in the second when he was awarded a penalty shot after referee Kerry Fraser ruled Duck defenseman Jason Marshall covered the puck with his glove in the crease.

The Ducks had taken a one-goal lead less than a minute earlier, and held onto it when Bondra--a 52-goal scorer last season--stayed with a simple forehand that missed the net wide.

“I had the right idea. I just missed the net,” Bondra said.

Duck defenseman Bobby Dollas made the lead 5-3 when he scored on a power play at 4:53 of the third. Bondra’s last-minute goal turned Dollas’ goal into the game-winner.

Duck Defenseman Dmitri Mironov contributed two goals, and Selanne extended his point-scoring streak to eight games with an assist on the goal by Dollas.

Duck goalie Guy Hebert sat out a second consecutive game recovering from a concussion. Hebert is still suffering from headaches four days after accidentally being hit in the head with a stick against Boston. He sat out as a precaution knowing the Ducks don’t play again until Friday against Calgary.