Corey Perry used his own stick to score each of his three goals, one of which came on a penalty shot. Ducks linemate Bobby Ryan had to improvise and use an opponent's stick to score his only goal.
Ryan's creativity at 17:26 of the second period with Mikko Koivu's left-handed stick enabled him to convert a rebound of Toni Lydman's shot, helping Anaheim beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Sunday. The goal was the 14th this season and first in six games for Ryan, who wears the same No. 9 as Koivu and has it printed on the shaft of his stick.
''Same number, different hands,'' said Ryan, a right-handed shooter. ''There was some kind of tangle-up in the corner. I looked down and saw my own stick, and I knew I wasn't holding it, so I wasn't quite sure what to do. Then he started skating off with it, so I just picked up the first thing that was there, and it was his.
''It was just very lucky that there was another one falling at my feet, and then the puck came right to me,'' he added. ''As far as we were aware, there was no rule (against it), so you can't take it back, I guess. (Koivu) was complaining about it, and I just told him: `You took mine right out of my hands in the corner, so finder's keepers, I guess.' It's been a while, so I'll take them any way they can come right now. I was even thinking about getting a couple of left-handed sticks and finish it out.''
Ryan Getzlaf had two goals, marking the third game this season in which each member of the Ducks' top line scored. Perry and Ryan each added two assists and Getzlaf had one. The combined total of 11 points was easily a season best for the trio.
''It was great. We knew as a line that we had to bring our game up a little bit, and we were able to do that,'' Getzlaf said. ''The biggest thing was that we had the lead and kept it. That's been a little bit of a challenge for us the last three games, so a big part of our third period was making sure we stepped on the gas and kept going.''
Getzlaf's second goal of the night and 10th this season made it 3-1 during 5-on-3 power play. The two-goal game was the 11th for the Ducks' captain, who is still looking for his first hat trick in the NHL.
The Ducks were leading 3-2 when Martin Havlat lost control of the puck in the Minnesota zone and hooked Perry as he skated up ice with it. A delayed penalty was about to be called when Cam Barker compounded the mistake by getting his stick tangled up with Perry on the ensuing breakaway and causing the penalty shot.
Perry beat Niklas Backstrom between the pads to the delight of the crowd of 14,338. It was the second career penalty shot for Perry, who is 14 for 42 on shootout attempts during his six NHL seasons.
''I did a little fake and I didn't think he really bit, so I just shot right away,'' Perry said.
Jared Spurgeon was serving a tripping penalty when Perry completed his first career hat trick with 4:13 to play, scoring his 16th goal and triggering a shower of hats on the ice.
''It's been a long time coming,'' Perry said. ''Before the power play, I asked Getz who was going to get it. And he said: `It doesn't matter, as long as somebody does.' Neither one of us had had one, so it's a special moment and something that I won't forget.''
Minnesota defenseman Brent Burns extended his goal-scoring streak to three games and Marek Zidlicky scored on a power play. Backstrom, who faced 36 shots, allowed at least six goals for the third time in his last five starts.
''They played a great game,'' Backstrom said. ''We worked hard to get back in it and got a power-play goal, and you think you have the momentum. Then they scored three and it got away from us. But it's just one game, and it's a long season.''
Perry scored 19 seconds after the opening faceoff. Burns, whose overtime goal beat the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night, tied it at 6:36 of the opening period with his ninth of the season - second in the league among defensemen and one behind Atlanta's Dustin Byfuglien.
Anaheim's Teemu Selanne was sidelined for the second straight game and seventh in the last 11 because of a persistent groin injury. Linemate Saku Koivu was scratched for the first time this season because of the flu, preventing him from playing against his younger brother.
Notes: The Koivu brothers have faced each other eight times in the NHL, with each of them on the winning side four times. The only time they scored in the same game was Oct. 6, 2009, when both connected on power plays in Minnesota's 4-3 overtime win over the Ducks at St. Paul. ... Burns and Ducks RW Joffrey Lupul each played in their 400th regular-season game.
