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The Ducks’ Jakob Silfverberg, left, battles for the puck against the St. Louis Blues’ Zach Sanford during Monday’s game at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Isac Lundestrom (48) of the Anaheim Ducks looks back to teammate Max Comtois (53) after Lundestrom scored a goal in the first period against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Isac Lundestrom (48) of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates after scoring a goal in the first period against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Anaheim Ducks celebrate after Isac Lundestrom (48) scored a goal in the first period against the St. Louis Blues in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, center, deflects a shot as defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, right, is upended and St. Louis Blues left wing Mackenzie MacEachern watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Ducks goaltender John Gibson, below, deflects a shot as St. Louis Blues left wing Nathan Walker watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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David Perron (57) of the St. Louis Blues takes a shot against goalie John Gibson (36) of the Anaheim Ducks to score a goal in the second period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021 to take the lead 4-1. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Kevin Shattenkirk (22) of the Anaheim Ducks and Zach Sanford (12) of the St. Louis Blues battle for the puck during the first period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, center, moves the puck as St. Louis Blues left wing Mike Hoffman, left, chases and goaltender John Gibson watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou, left, celebrates his goal with center Ryan O’Reilly, center, and left wing Zach Michael Sanford during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, stops a shot as St. Louis Blues left wing Nathan Walker watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Ryan Getzlaf (15) of the Anaheim Ducks attempts to get the puck past the defense of goalie Ville Husso (35) of the St. Louis Blues in the first period during a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg, left, falls as he battles for the puck with St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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St. Louis Blues center Dakota Joshua, left, is congratulated on his goal by left wing Kyle Clifford during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Anaheim Ducks center Derek Grant, left, skates against St. Louis Blues center Dakota Joshua during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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The St. Louis Blues celebrate after scoring their fourth goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period in a game at Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug, center, skates with the puck as Anaheim Ducks left wing Sonny Milano, left, reaches in and goaltender Ville Husso watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell, right, puts St. Louis Blues defenseman Niko Mikkola into the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou, right, falls as he battles for the puck with Anaheim Ducks left wing Max Jones during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. The Blues won 5-4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Anaheim Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, scores on St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso as defenseman Torey Krug tries to stop him during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. The Blues won 5-4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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The Ducks’ Isac Lundestrom, left, reacts as the puck gets past Blues goalie Ville Husso for his third goal during the third period of Monday’s game at Honda Center. The Blues won, 5-4, despite Lundestrom’s three-goal effort for the Ducks. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Anaheim Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, celebrates after scoring on St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. The Blues won 5-4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Anaheim Ducks center Isac Lundestrom celebrates his third goal of the game during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. The Blues won 5-4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Anaheim Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, right, celebrates his third goal of the game with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Monday, March 1, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. The Blues won 5-4. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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St. Louis Blues center Dakota Joshua, left, and goaltender Ville Husso congratulate each other after their 5-4 victory over the Ducks on Monday night at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
ANAHEIM — For a while, it looked like a whole lot of fun.
Isac Lundestrom rocketed down the left wing and scored the first of his three goals only minutes into the first period on Monday night at Honda Center. Trevor Zegras then came within inches of scoring his first NHL goal on a lacrosse-like move known as “The Michigan.”
The Ducks couldn’t sustain the good times, though, and dropped a 5-4 decision to the St. Louis Blues, who defeated them for the third time this season. The teams play again Wednesday night, and the Ducks have until then to find a way to beat the Blues and end a 0-5-2 skid.
Hampus Lindholm sat out Monday for the fourth time in five games because of an unspecified lower-body injury. Josh Mahura replaced him in the lineup, forming a defense pair with Kevin Shattenkirk. Lindholm was said to be day to day and it was uncertain whether he would play Wednesday.
St. Louis routed the Ducks by scores of 6-1 and 4-1 in games earlier this season at Honda Center. It looked like more of the same Monday as the Blues broke open an evenly-played game by scoring three times in the second period, outshooting the Ducks 16-7.
But then a funny thing happened.
The Ducks rallied in the final period, with Lundestrom scoring on a wraparound try for his second goal of the game to cut their deficit to 4-2 only 34 seconds into the third. He then scored his third by deflecting Shattenkirk’s perimeter shot to trim it to 4-3 at 15:16.
“Of course, it’s not happening every day,” Lundestrom said of his first career hat trick, only the third, fourth and fifth goals of his 45-game NHL career – all this season. “It’s good for my confidence. I just want to keep going and play my own game. I just want to keep building.”
Lundestrom, a 21-year-old center, seemed to swell with confidence as the game progressed. By the third period, Ducks coach Dallas Eakins teamed Lundestrom with Zegras and Rickard Rakell, and they formed a dynamic line in the final minutes. Zegras was scoreless, but Rakell had two assists.
Zegras, a 19-year-old center who has played left wing since the Ducks recalled him on Feb. 21 after he played only eight games for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, has injected an element of creativity that was lacking before he joined them.
“If you’re good enough to do it, have at it,” Eakins said of Zegras’ attempt at “The Michigan” in the opening period. “The one thing we don’t ever want to take out of a player is creativity. If you can put the puck in the net that way, then put the puck in the net that way.”
The Ducks couldn’t complete their comeback, however.
Zach Sanford scored his second goal of the game at 18:40, an empty-net strike while the Blues were short-handed to extend their lead to 5-3. Ryan Getzlaf brought the Ducks within 5-4 with a power-play goal 20 seconds later, but that was as close as they would get.
In the end, a lackluster second period proved costly to the Ducks.
Jordan Kyrou’s goal at 19:03 of the first period gave the Blues momentum after the Ducks had taken a 1-0 lead on Lundestrom’s laser from the dot in the left faceoff circle at 5:04. Getzlaf nearly made it 2-0 by shoveling a loose puck wide of the net while the Ducks were on a power play.
Zegras also just missed giving the Ducks a two-goal lead while on the same power play. He scooped up the puck behind the Blues’ net and carried it on his stick toward the left goal post. St. Louis goaltender Ville Husso reached out with his blocker just in time to deny Zegras his first NHL goal.
The audacious play lit up social media by the end of the period.
Kyrou’s goal late in the first tilted the game in the Blues’ favor, however.
David Perron put the Blues ahead 2-1 at 6:35 of the second period, Sanford scored on a deflection while on the power play to make it 3-1 at 12:45 and Dakota Joshua scored his first goal in his first NHL game 13 seconds later to make it 4-1.
Game over?
It certainly looked that way. Lundestrom wouldn’t allow it to happen, though.
“Him skating like that and competing like that, it’s quiet leadership,” Eakins said. “We hope others take notice. … I do give our guys credit. They came out in the third and fought like hell, so that’s encouraging. But for us to win, it’s got to be a full 60 minutes. Every moment is critical.”
That’s a game Isac Lundestrom will remember.
He collects the @Enterprise hat trick. pic.twitter.com/x9waojjDhq
— NHL (@NHL) March 2, 2021
Coming off his FIRST CAREER HAT TRICK
, @isaclundestr chats with @AlysonLozoff #FlyTogether I @AnaheimDucks pic.twitter.com/0OfGbIUvbE
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 2, 2021
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 2, 2021
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