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Rapid Reaction: Ducks 4, Jets 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Here’s a quick look at the Anaheim Ducks’ 4-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets at Honda Center on Thursday night.

How it happened: It required a video review, but Corey Perry’s bat-in of his own rebound following a rush through the crease did indeed cross the goal line, giving Perry his second goal of the night and the Ducks a 3-2 lead with 6:39 remaining in regulation. The goal capped a comeback from a 2-1 third-period deficit against a Jets team that withstood the Ducks’ attack but found the ice tilted down the stretch. Ryan Getzlaf’s power-play goal with 3:05 remaining iced the game.

After Sami Vatanen and Adam Lowry traded goals in the game’s opening minutes, goaltenders Ondrej Pavelec and Frederik Andersen settled down, making several key stops. One of Andersen’s few miscues came when Drew Stafford beat him with a shot from the wing to give Winnipeg the lead exactly five minutes into the second. Pavelec shined from that point on. But there was little he could do when Perry tied the game 69 seconds into the third, tucking home a loose puck by the side of the net while Mark Scheifele served a roughing minor.

What it means: The win gives Anaheim a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.

Player of the game: Perry had two goals and two assists in propelling the Ducks’ comeback. He was the deciding factor in a back-and-forth game. Perry's four points tied him with Joffrey Lupul and Andy McDonald for the most by a Duck in a playoff game, according to team records.

Stat of the game: The teams combined for an astonishing 83 hits, with the Ducks holding a 46-37 advantage. If Game 1 is any indication, this could be the most physical series of the first round, especially considering the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues combined for 47 hits earlier in the evening.

What’s next: The teams return to Honda Center on Saturday for Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. PT. Anaheim stars Getzlaf and Perry can expect to see plenty of defensemen Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot. An imposing force on the blue line, Byfuglien (6-foot-5) and Chiarot (6-foot-3) shadowed the Ducks’ top line most of the night.

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