Ducks Fall to Blackhawks in First of Five Straight Road Games

In the first of five straight road games, the Ducks could only muster a late Teemu Selanne goal in a 4-1 defeat to the Blackhawks at United Center.

The goal for Selanne was his 10th of the season and came with 1:47 left in regulation, when Anaheim was already down by four. The veteran right winger, who will make his triumphant return to Winnipeg tomorrow, now has a team-leading 31 points (tied for 18th in the NHL) in 31 games played.

Jonas Hiller made 20 saves for the Ducks, who are 2-4-1 under new coach Bruce Boudreau and 14th in the 15-team Western Conference.

Ray Emery stopped 24 shots, and Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa each had a goal and an assist for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Jamal Mayers and Dave Bolland also scored for Chicago, which moved into a first-place tie with Minnesota in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks, 6-0-1 in their last seven, and the Wild both have 44 points.

Emery lost a bid for his first shutout in nearly two years when Selanne scored in the third period.

Emery, who has taken over for struggling No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford, started and won for the fourth straight game. He has played in six straight, including five starts.

Crawford hasn't played since a start on Dec. 5 against Phoenix when he was pulled early in the second period after allowing three goals on 16 shots.

Emery's last shutout was on Feb 1, 2010, while with Philadelphia. In April 2010, he underwent hip surgery that nearly ended his career.

Emery, who came back to lead Anaheim into the playoffs last spring, faced his old team for the first time since signing as a free agent with Chicago just before the start of this season.

He wasn't heavily tested on Friday by the Ducks, who generated little offense in their first stop on a five-game road trip. Anaheim won't play at home until Dec. 29.

Mayers scored the only goal of the first period 6:37 in when he surprised Hiller with a backhand attempt from the right side of the net. Mayer lofted the puck from a sharp angle, and it struck Hiller's arm and found its way into the net.

Hossa made it 2-0 just 1:07 into the second when he was left open in the slot. Sharp slid the puck to Hossa, who swept a backhanded shot between Hiller's pads.

Bolland's power-play goal with 2:51 left in the second made it 3-0.

Defenseman Nick Leddy carried the puck deep into the Anaheim zone along the left wing boards, then dished to Bolland who was open in the high slot. Bolland fired the puck through traffic and past Hiller.

Sharp made it 4-0 midway through the third with his 17th of the season. He beat Hiller with a high shot from the slot after slipping through a pack of defenders.

Selanne wrecked Emery's shutout bid when he was left alone at the right side of the net and scored off a cross-crease pass from Niklas Hagman.

NOTES: Emery improved to 8-1-2 this season. ... Anaheim C Saku Koivu missed his third game because of a groin injury. Chicago LW Dan Carcillo sat out because of an undisclosed upper body injury. Both players are day-to-day.