threw both his hands in the air and pulled them to his side in jubilation.
This first goal — career No. 350 — had to feel good.
All off-season (and much of last season) Perry heard the comments. Washed up, they said. Not the same elite player.
And there was good reason to believe he had seen better days. Perry, once a 50-goal scorer and league MVP, found the back of the net just 19 times last season.
So when Perry scored twice in the Ducks’ season opener Thursday — a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Coyotes after erasing a three-goal deficit — it must have been a weight off his back.