Anaheim, California: Sami Vatanen scored two power-play goals and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots in his first career shutout, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.
Vatanen had his first career multi-goal game, scoring on a pair of blistering one-timers as the Ducks (5-1-0) won their fifth straight and extended their home winning streak against St. Louis to eight games.
Brian Elliott made 22 saves for the Blues, who went 1-1-1 on their road trip. St. Louis played without free-agent prize Paul Stastny, who sustained an upper-body injury Friday against Arizona.
Matt Beleskey collected a clever entry pass from Rickard Rakell and unleashed a slap shot past Elliott at 1:37 of the first period for his fourth goal of the season.
Anaheim sustained pressure early, but needed an impressive stick save by defenceman Clayton Stoner to thwart a golden chance for Jaden Schwartz.
Vatanen made it 2-0 with a rocket shot from just inside the blue line late in the first period, leaving Elliott no time to react. Vatanen added his fifth career power-play goal with 15:37 left in the second, sending it in off a no-look pass from Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf.
When the Ducks went back on the power play 2 minutes later, the Honda Center crowd screamed for Vatanen to shoot every time he touched the puck.
Getzlaf had two assists, but Corey Perry’s franchise-best streak of five games with a point to start the season came to an end.
Andersen, who never started five consecutive games during his rookie season, delivered his best save when he slid back across the crease and used his blocker to deny Alexander Steen on an odd-man rush early in the second period.
