NEWARK, N.J. -- Center Ryan Getzlaf is acutely aware of the Anaheim Ducks predicament.

Seventh in the seven-team Pacific Division. Fourteenth in the fourteen-team Western Conference.

Yet Getzlaf still believes the Ducks -- a preseason Stanley Cup favorite -- could find themselves competing for the silver chalice when the playoffs begin in April.

"One hundred percent," Getzlaf said, after right winger Chris Stewart and center Ryan Kesler scored 12:05 apart in the first period to spark the Anaheim Ducks to a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"There's hockey to be played."

With the win, Anaheim snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 12-14-5.

Goaltender Frederik Andersen made 21 saves in his first start since Nov. 21. He had missed six games between Nov. 24 and Dec. 4 with the flu.

"I felt great on the puck," said Andersen, who noted coach Bruce Boudreau told him Friday that he was getting the start. "[It was] good to be back in there."

Despite losing for the third time in four games to fall to 16-13-4, New Jersey coach John Hynes stressed positives.

"I wouldn't say we're in a slump," Hynes said. "You go through these times."

Goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 16 saves, and left winger Mike Cammalleri scored the Devils' lone goal.

Anaheim certainly didn't have the appearance of a team that had lost its last two games by an aggregate 8-1 margin. The Ducks led 2-0 at the first intermission on the strength of goals from Stewart and Kesler.

Stewart opened the scoring at 7:39 with his sixth of the season. Stewart tapped a quick shot past Kinkaid stick-side to complete a sequence which began with defenseman Kevin Bieksa keeping the puck in at the blue line.

Kesler doubled the advantage before the end of the period by poking a shot under Kinkaid with 16 seconds left. The goal was Kesler's fourth of the season.

"It went the right way," said right winger Corey Perry. "It's all about hard work."

Given a multigoal lead, Anderson made it hold up even though his cause was aided by a low pressure New Jersey attack. The Devils finished with 22 shots and only attempted 40 shots.

The lack of a sustained offensive push frustrated the announced crowd of 16,514, which booed the Devils at points during the game.

Our execution has to be better," said Hynes, who then defended his team. "Our guys did a good job. It's a character group. They're a real quality team. This is part of the process."

Andersen's busiest period was the second in which he made 10 saves. His bid for his first shutout of the season was spoiled by Cammalleri's goal at 15:26 of the third.

"We didn't give them a whole lot," Perry said.

Cammalleri's goal was his 12th of the season. Center Adam Henrique and right winger Kyle Palmieri lead the team with 13 each.

New Jersey wasn't alone in not generating offense. Anaheim, which came into the game ranked 30th in the NHL in goals per game and goals scored, only created 18 shots and 35 shot attempts.

"We played a pretty good game defensively," Palmieri said. "I thought we did a great job of protecting our slot. It was just those two little breakdowns and some unlucky bounces.

"That was the difference in the game."

NOTES: New Jersey activated C Travis Zajac from injured reserve. He missed nine games with an upper-body injury. To make room for Zajac, New Jersey scratched RW Jordin Tootoo. LW Stefan Matteau and D Jon Merrill were also scratched by the Devils. ... Anaheim scratched D Clayton Stoner. ... Ducks C Nate Thompson served the second of his three-game suspension. ... Anaheim G Frederik Anderson appeared in his 100th NHL game. ... The game was the first for New Jersey RW Kyle Palmieri against Anaheim. The Ducks traded Palmieri to New Jersey on June 27. ... Because of a noon college basketball game at Prudential Center, the Ducks did not hold a morning skate. The Devils skated at AmeriHealth Pavilion, their practice facility built into Prudential Center. ... After the game, the NHL's roster freeze went into effect.