Ducks Maximize Their Chances

The Chicago Blackhawks sent plenty of shots at the Ducks and goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

But quality, not quantity, made the difference in the Mighty Ducks’ 4-1 victory Sunday.

Glaring defensive lapses by the Blackhawks led to each of the Duck goals. Among them was the first by Jeff Friesen as a Duck and another by Marty McInnis on which Friesen assisted.

Jim Cummins and Samuel Pahlsson also scored for the Ducks, who managed 24 shots on Chicago’s Jocelyn Thibault. Chicago had 38 shots for the game.

“On every goal they scored, there was a bad individual mistake,” Chicago Coach Alpo Suhonen said. “There was a bad read by a player or someone didn’t focus.”

After building a 4-1 lead late in the second period, the Mighty Ducks and Giguere kept the Blackhawks at bay despite being outshot, 17-5, in the third period.

“I think we played very well,” said Giguere, who has started 17 consecutive games and allowed only eight goals in his last six outings. “We only gave them outside chances and took away the rebounds.”

Friesen has one goal and seven assists in seven games since joining the Mighty Ducks as part of a March 5 trade that sent Teemu Selanne to San Jose.

“It feels good,” Friesen said. “This year has been a nightmare as far as scoring goals. Today I had one and probably could have had three or four.

“It’s nice to get one and I’m going to start shooting the puck more.”

Steve Dubinsky scored for the Blackhawks, who have only one win in their last five games.

Chicago is 11 points behind eighth-place Phoenix for the final Western Conference playoff berth with 10 games remaining.

Friesen opened the scoring at 3:58 of the first period, converting a rebound from the edge of the crease during a Duck power play.

Cummins made it 2-0 3:43 later when his wrist shot from the right wing boards fooled Thibault and clanged in off the top of the left post.

Dubinsky cut it to 2-1 with 5:19 left in the first period, beating Giguere with a high shot from the right circle.

McInnis gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead at 2:54 of the second, sweeping in Friesen’s goalmouth pass to complete a three-on-two break.

Pahlsson made it 4-1 with 2:17 left in the second with a short-handed breakaway goal. He intercepted Tony Amonte’s pass in the Ducks’ zone, skated the length of the ice and beat Thibault with a backhander.