DETROIT – The Anaheim Ducks and John Gibson continue to be one of the early surprises of the NHL season as they downed the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Gibson has been the key for the Ducks, giving up three goals total in his first three games.
The Ducks, who missed the playoffs last season, scored three times in the third period Tuesday night to take charge. With the game tied 1-1, Nick Ritchie scored at 9:10 to give the Ducks the lead. That came about a minute after an apparent goal by Dylan Larkin was waved off because Anthony Mantha was offside when he entered the zone.
Rickard Rickell and Jakob Silfverberg also scored for Anaheim. Filip Hronek scored for Detroit (2-1-0).
Here are some other surprises of the early going, both good and bad:
Good: Buffalo Sabres (2-0-1). Nobody in Buffalo is becoming overly excited because everyone remembers the Sabres' nosedive last season after they uncorked a 10-game winning streak. However, there is reason for cautious optimism this season. Younger players are coming together. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, 19, has five points in three games and is plus-4.
Bad: San Jose Sharks (0-4-0). They are supposed to be a contending team and they were outscored 17-5 in their first four games. The signing of Patrick Marleau should provide a small offensive spark, but he’s not the answer. They need to play to their capability.
Good: Edmonton Oilers winger James Neal. Considered a reclamation project, Neal has six goals this season, including four Tuesday night. He had seven all of last season. New general manager Ken Holland is already proving his value in Edmonton.
Good: Vegas Golden Knights (2-0). They outscored their opponents 9-2 in their first two games. More important, this team looks it has all of the ingredients to make an extended playoff run. The Golden Knights have a top flight goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury, a dependable defense and a potentially high-scoring offense. They have two exceptional scoring lines.
Bad: Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets. He came out of the Swiss League with the reputation of one of the world’s best goalies outside the NHL. He promptly gave up seven goals in his first NHL start. It’s still possible he could end up playing as much as Joonas Korpisalo.
Good: Carolina Hurricanes (4-0-0). Everyone understands the Hurricanes are improved, but it was easy think they were riding a wave last postseason when they reached the Eastern Conference final. But their opening surge suggests the ‘Canes are a legitimate contender.
Bad: Tampa Bay Lightning (1-1-1). No reason to be concerned about this talent-laden team, but they have looked very ordinary coming out the blocks. Their defensive play isn’t where it should be.
Good: Center Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers. Four goals and four assists in his first two games. How excited do you think he is having Artemi Panarin on his wing? The Rangers might be able to compete for a playoff spot if they can add another scoring center.
Bad: Center Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins. Malkin is out indefinitely with an undisclosed lower-body injury. He has the worst luck with injuries. He has missed 98 games over the past six seasons.