"No player probably wanted the New Year to come more than the Ducks' Bobby Ryan, who has put a horrid December behind him in style.

Ryan scored the only goal in the Ducks' 1-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night, and the club's new No. 1 center has three goals in his past two games.

How bad was his December? Ryan had three goals and three assists in 15 games - and that's counting scores Dec. 1 against Florida and on New Year's Eve against Philadelphia.

So is Ryan's slump officially over?

"Let's hope so," he said. "I'm not going to try and get too far ahead of myself. We'll take tomorrow (off), let it go and then I'll come in and try and get better.

"I've been more disappointed by it than anybody this year. Hopefully, the month of January is good to me like it has been in the past."

Ryan has assumed the top-line center spot in light of Ryan Getzlaf being out at least through the end of the month because of injury. Though Ryan has struggled in the faceoff circle, the 23-year-old forward has resumed his usual scoring ways playing as the pivot between Matt Beleskey and Corey Perry.

"I think when a guy like Getzy goes down, people have got to step up, and I've been asked to do a different role and play center," Ryan said. "Whenever you get the puck to Perry, you know there's a chance it's coming back.

"Beleskey's been on the cycle and getting in on pucks. We've been able to maintain possession below the top of circles, and that's been huge for us."

Ryan scored when he carried the puck in the San Jose zone and used his long reach to elude Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Ryan and fire a wrist shot past goalie Antti Niemi, who was screened by Joffrey Lupul and Brandon McMillan."