National Sports

Ducks end four-game skid with 4-2 victory over Blue Jackets in John Gibson's return

AP

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- John Gibson made 38 saves, Brett Leason and Jackson LaCombe each scored their first goals of the season and the Anaheim Ducks ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

Gibson made his season debut after having an emergency appendectomy in September.

The Ducks got off to a fast start when Leason scored 3:13 into the game off a feed from Cutter Gauthier.

Columbus tied it late in the first period when Yegor Chinakhov scored his fourth goal of the season. Anaheim grabbed a 2-1 lead at 4:22 of the second period when LaCombe converted off a loose puck.

Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks with 9:40 left in the game, but the Blue Jackets moved back within a goal on a shot from the slot by Kirill Marchenko with 3:03 left.

Isac Lundestrom scored into an empty net to put the game away.

Takeaways

Blue Jackets: Jack Johnson played in his 1,200th career NHL game, while Zach Werenski became the fourth defenseman to play in 500 career games with Columbus. Werenski assisted Chinakhov's goal

Ducks: The veteran Gibson showed little rust in his season debut, starting off with a win. Gibson is in his 12th season with Anaheim and last had a winning record in the 2018-19 season.

Key moment

The Ducks took the lead for good early in the second period after LaCombe scored a rebound off the stick of teammate Troy Terry.

Key stat

The Ducks were giving up an average of four goals per game during their four-game losing streak before they delivered a much-needed standout defensive performance.

Up next

Columbus plays at Seattle on Tuesday, while the Ducks are home against the Golden Knights on Wednesday.

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