from Eric Stephens of the OC Register,

The message was laid out in simple terms from a team that is peering through the window at those who currently reside in the playoff positions within the Western Conference.

Hours in front of another tense, fight-filled Freeway Faceoff against the Kings, the Ducks’ Kevin Bieksa offered his to-the-point summation. “That’s a team that we need to catch,” the longtime defenseman said. “This is the best way to do it, by taking two points from them.”

Ah, if it were only that easy. Nothing is in this series that’s often decided by one goal and the Kings weren’t going to fade away at Staples Center on Saturday night, even when they stared at a three-goal deficit.

Nick Shore and Anze Kopitar gave them a look at a dramatic comeback in the third period but Corey Perry’s long-distance goal into an empty net secured a 4-2 win for the Ducks as the rivals kicked off another important stretch in their respective schedules following a bye week.

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