"If the Ducks are to have any hope of returning to the playoffs this spring they're going to need a lot more gutsy performances like the one they turned in Wednesday at Honda Center, where they beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, in overtime.

And they're probably going to need a lot more breaks like the one that set up Corey Perry's game-winning goal.

Perry inexplicably avoided a tripping penalty after sending Carolina's Jussi Jokinen to the ice two minutes into the extra period. He then skated away from the scene of the crime, collected the loose puck and scored on the end of a give-and-go with Sheldon Brookbank."