Ryan Getzlaf saw the puck go in. He just needed the official to see it, too.
Getzlaf scored with 1:46 left in the third period in front of a crowded net, sending the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
His third goal of the season came amid a scramble in front of Flyers rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who initially stopped Getzlaf's shot with his stick. The center then flicked the puck over the line to Bobrovsky's left, and past defenseman Matt Carle. The goal stood up to a video review.
''The initial shot, he stopped with his stick and I was able to get another swipe at it,'' Getzlaf said. ''I saw it go in, and judging from my reaction, you could tell. It was one of those things where we caught a break at the end. It was a big relief for us. We've been working pretty hard and not necessarily getting the bounces, so this helps.''
Lubomir Visnovsky and Jason Blake also scored for Anaheim (3-4-1), which had scored only three goals in four road games and were coming off a 3-1 loss to Columbus on Wednesday.
''It doesn't matter how it goes in,'' Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. ''It went in. I don't care if it was an end-to-end rush, a fluke from center, whatever it is. We're desperate for wins. We found a way to get the job done.''
Visnovsky made it 1-0 just 35 seconds into the game when he flipped a wrist shot over Bobrovsky's right shoulder.
Scott Hartnell tied it nearly three minutes later, guiding a puck through traffic as he was falling. Claude Giroux also scored a tying goal for the Flyers in the second period.
Anaheim grabbed a 2-1 lead at 10:52 of the first when Teemu Selanne centered a pass from behind the net to Blake, who beat Bobrovsky.
Giroux made it 2-2 when he streaked down the left side and knocked a rebound of his shot past goalie Curtis McElhinney.
The game appeared headed for overtime until Getzlaf took a pass from Matt Beleskey, raced down the center of the ice, and beat Bobrovsky.
''When he shot the puck I tried to stop it, but it slid right by me,'' said the 22-year-old rookie, who made his fourth start. ''The team lost and I feel like it's my fault. I have to play better. We must win the game.''
The Flyers (2-3-1), four games into a five-game homestand, have lost three in a row. They recorded a season-high 42 shots and outshot the Ducks by 20.
''It was alarming that we lost the game,'' Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said.
They lost in large part because of the play of McElhinney, who stopped 40 shots in his first start of the season for Anaheim. He made 10 saves in the third period.
''It felt great,'' he said. ''There were some nerves early on, and a couple of rebounds that got away from me. As the game went on, I felt more comfortable. Everybody collapsed well and did a tremendous job in front of me. It was an all-around great effort from everybody.''
Notes: With an assist, Selanne earned his 1,267th point, moving into a tie with Hall-of-Famer Jean Ratelle for 34th place on the NHL career list. ... This was the first match up between these teams in more than a year. Anaheim won 3-2 in Philadelphia on a shootout goal. ... The Flyers wore ''Hockey Fights Cancer'' decals on their helmet, in conjunction with the NHL's night to raise money for the cause.
