The Buzzer: Quick gets first win, Aberg nets two in epic Ducks comeback

Three stars

1. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

Quick needs to be eating for free for the rest of the year -- his teammates owe him that after Sunday’s performance.

Alec Martinez, who scored the eventual game-winner late in the third period, told the Fox Sports broadcast that without Quick on Sunday, the Kings wouldn’t have been in contention to win the game if not for Quick. Truer words have never been spoken.

Quick made 34 saves -- many of them coming in the ridiculous variety -- including 14 in the third period and a couple when the Carolina Hurricanes were enjoying a 5-on-3 in the third.

It all adds up to Quick’s 50th shutout, and consequently, Quick’s first win of the season. He was 0-4-1 in five starts heading into Sunday after battling injuries and while playing on a poor team.

2. Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche

It’s not always Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen in Colorado (OK, it is most of the time). And while that line combined for every possible point (six) on both of Colorado’s goals in the game, it was Varlamov’s 24 saves that ensured that the Avs walked away from this one unscathed in a 2-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings.

The shutout was Varlamov’s first of the year (and 24th for his career) and he’s rocking a 9-5-0 record with a .930 save percentage in 19 games played.

The Avs have an 11-game point streak going.

3. Pontus Aberg, Anaheim Ducks

Unwanted in Nashville and then again in Edmonton, Aberg has found a home with the Ducks.

Before this season, Aberg only ever amassed a paltry two goals in each of the three seasons he played parts in before. As of the conclusion of Sunday’s game, Aberg has more than quadrupled that total with nine.

Two of those goals came Sunday with one being the 6-5 goal after the Ducks made history and clawed back from a four-goal deficit. Aberg has 14 points on the season, six more than his previous career-high with many games to come.

Other notable performances:

• Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers -- The Rangers didn’t win the game and they blew a 3-0 third-period lead, but none of that matters when it comes to Lundqvist who, if he wasn’t in the Rangers’ crease on Sunday, the scoreline may have hit double digits for the Winnipeg Jets. Lundqvist made several ridiculous saves, fitting of the man nicknamed the ‘King’. The Jets outshot the Rangers 42-19 in the game, including 8-2 in the overtime frame. Lundqvist was simply superb.

Highlights of the night

Here’s one from Quick:

Hey, whatever works best for you, @JonathanQuick32. 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/9iM53wqdeL

— NHL (@NHL) December 3, 2018

Here’s another:

It's still 0-0 because Jonathan Quick keep doing unreal things like this 😳#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/pYJKIzHBjM

— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 3, 2018

Here’s Shea Weber breaking Martin Jones’ stick with a one-timer:

Here’s one of those Lundqvist saves:

Lundqvist man... We want to hate, but we can't.

(Ok, we do hate it a little bit right now) pic.twitter.com/Gi1fspw0nf

— JetsNation (@NHLJetsNation) December 3, 2018

Aberg’s winner, but watch the deft touch by Ryan Getzlaf:

ICYMI: here is the GWG the Ducks scored by @PontusAberg ! pic.twitter.com/MLu2GF237F

— DucksNPucks🦆🏒 (@DucksNPucks) December 2, 2018

Factoids

Blake Wheeler became the first U.S.-born player in NHL history and the first skater in @NHLJets / Thrashers franchise history to record 30 assists in 26 team games or fewer. #NHLStats #WPGvsNYR pic.twitter.com/XK5XWFeuhR

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 3, 2018

The @AnaheimDucks became the 19th team in NHL history to overcome a four-goal deficit on the road to win in regulation and first since Colorado accomplished this feat (March 3, 1999 at FLA). #NHLStats #ANAvsWSH pic.twitter.com/zCTN5kxQHt

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 2, 2018

The @Avalanche extended their point streak to 11 games (9-0-2), their longest such run since a 12-game stretch in 2006-07 (10-0-2 from Feb. 27 – March 25, 2007). #NHLStats #COLvsDET pic.twitter.com/1fU7EMlXuA

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 3, 2018

Scores

Ducks 6, Capitals 5

Jets 4, Rangers 3 (OT)

Flames 3, Blackhawks 2

Sharks 3, Kings 1

Avalanche 2, Red Wings 0

Kings 2, Hurricanes 0

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Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at [e-mail] or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck