GLENDALE, Ariz. >> It was a moment that Josh Manson would rather forget. A 45-year-old player taking him apart with a masterful theft of the puck and score that immediately wound up on highlight shows.
This, of course, was no ordinary 45-year-old. The ageless wonder that is Jaromir Jagr has done that to other players throughout a career that will certainly put him in the Hockey Hall of Fame. But Manson’s response to that moment in Friday night’s loss to Florida has been impressive.
On Sunday, Manson scored the only goal in the Ducks’ 1-0 win over the Kings. And on Monday night against Arizona, it was the defenseman creating another with a successful shot that created a goal Ryan Getzlaf would get credit for.
“Things like that will happen,” Manson said. “Plays like that will happen. How you respond I think is what will keep you in the NHL for a while.”
Manson, 25, isn’t a big point producer on the Ducks’ blue line but he has long had underrated offensive ability. He had five goals in 2015-16, his first full NHL season. He’s also got a good shot at surpassing the 15 points he compiled in 71 games last season.
“Luckily pucks have been going in there,” Manson said. “I don’t think it’s anything special I’ve done. Just getting pucks to the net and it’s rewarding me lately. It’s nice to get those after something like that.”
Finding a line
Finding a consistently reliable line other than the Andrew Cogliano-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg threesome has been among the list of thorny issues the Ducks have yet to solve.
Two young wingers that have been quiet lately as they develop into everyday regulars are getting that opportunity. Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase are skating with Getzlaf and the trio has put together a number of effective shifts in their two games as a unit.
The line factored in the only goals scored by the Ducks in those contests. Manson’s goal on Sunday was created when Ritchie kept the puck in the offensive zone and sent it deep to where Getzlaf retrieved it after Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb was unable to corral it and make a play.
Getzlaf found Manson coming in backdoor and it became the defenseman’s second career game-winning goal. “The line can be very effective if we work properly,” the center said.
Ritchie had the second assist on the Manson goal and had four shots on goal in 18 minutes, 34 seconds of ice time, the second-most he’s played in a game after logging more than 21 minutes back on Oct. 15 at Pittsburgh. Kase played 15:16 and had seven shot attempts, four of which got to the net.
The line also played a central role in Getzlaf’s first goal Monday. A 10-game suspension to Antoine Vermette is giving an opportunity for Ritchie and Kase to get more ice time and do something with it.
“Again, we’re trying to put some different combinations together,” Carlyle said. “The loss of Vermette forces us to play Ricky [Rakell] in the middle. That’s where we see him long term. It moves Ritchie up the lineup, it moves Kase up the lineup. Those aren’t easy minutes for those guys to step into.”
Tropp makes debut
Corey Tropp played his first game with the Ducks as the journeyman forward was inserted into the lineup for the first time, following other occasions where he was scratched after being called up.
Tropp played on the fourth line with Nate Thompson and Logan Shaw. It was a long wait for the Michigan native as his last NHL game came with Columbus on March 28, 2015.
“It was a lot of fun,” Tropp said. “Obviously the outcome wasn’t what you want. It’s always nice when you play in this league. I just look at it as an opportunity to keep working and getting better every day. Hopefully there’s more to come.”
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