Ducks top Oilers 2-1

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- The Anaheim Ducks are ready to fly home.

Corey Perry scored his 31st goal of the season and John Gibson made 27 saves to help the Anaheim Ducks beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 Monday night and pull within a game of the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division.

"I thought we were resilient, but we were pretty sloppy tonight and we looked a little tired," said Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team now returns home for four straight games.

"It was a good win for us to have at the end of a long road trip, allowing only one goal. But they missed some opportunities, but (Gibson) was the difference in the game."

Brandon Pirri also scored for the playoff-bound Ducks, who gained ground on the Kings when L.A. lost to San Jose 5-2 Monday night. This was the last leg of a five-game Canadian swing for Anaheim.

"I think we wanted to carry off from last game and I think it's more about playing the right way now and not just for the end of the trip, but heading into playoffs," Gibson said

Nail Yakupov scored in the third period for the Oilers, who have lost two straight. Cam Talbot made 23 saves.

"I thought we played a solid game, just a couple of mental breaks, but I thought we played hard," Oilers forward Patrick Maroon said. "If we play like this every night this is going to be a good team moving forward. We're on the right path."

Anaheim won the season series 4-0-1.

Perry scored 4:02 into the game on Anaheim's first shot -- a slap shot from just above the right faceoff dot.

Anaheim went ahead 2-0 with 7:12 left in the second when Oilers defenseman Adam Clendening coughed up the puck and Pirri smacked in his 13th goal of the season.

The two teams had 18 shots each through 40 minutes. Edmonton's best chance was a shot late in the second period by Taylor Hall that Gibson directed off the post.

Edmonton got back into the game with 8:20 left when Hall set up Yakupov's goal, which came on a day when reports circulated that Yakupov had asked to be traded.

"I think the day affected him," Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said. "I think the response from the fans affected him. Once he got into the game he played a little better as the night went on."

The Oilers were unable to get the equalizer with Talbot on the bench for the extra attacker.

Notes: Out injured for the Oilers were Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (concussion), Oscar Klefbom (foot), Andrew Ference (hip), Brandon Davidson (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder), Eric Gryba (knee) and Adam Pardy (hand). ... Sami Vatanen (upper body) and Ryan Kesler (personal) were both back in the lineup for the Ducks, who were without the services of Kevin Bieksa (upper body), Simon Despres (undisclosed) and David Perron (shoulder). ... The Calgary Flames are the next opponent for both teams. The Ducks return home to face them on Wednesday night, and the Oilers are off until playing Calgary on Saturday night in their second-to-last game at Rexall Place before occupying a new downtown arena next season.