Ducks vs Minnesota Wild

It's the Ducks first home game since the forgettable home opener against the San Jose Sharks. Duck fans can agree, we want a do-over. They're up against the same Minnesota Wild team that evaporated a three-goal Duck lead to win in overtime. Duck fans can also agree, we want our two points back.


Koivu versus Koivu, part deux

Right in the first two minutes, Corey Perry intercepts a loose puck in the neutral zone through a bad shift-change by the Wild. He takes advantage of the turnover, speeds to the net, and pops a slick backhander past goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

Our boys, as a whole, were looking real sharp in this first period. It's a welcome improvement from first periods past, where our boys have always been out-shot, out-goaled, out-forechecked, out-faceoffed, out-skated, and basically out-played.

Perry potted a second goal less than seven minutes after his first, off a perfect feed into the slot from my boy Bobby Ryan. Perry whipped the puck around and, using his patented patience, waited until Backstrom went down to shoot over him.

Those waited-out goals by Perry, they are things of beauty, people.


Man of the game, Corey Perry, and NHL On the Fly's "Performer of the Night"

Again, yours truly is loving having offensive forwards on our penalty killing team. There's just a different tone set by having boys like Bobby, Saku Koivu, and Ryan Getzlaf killing penalties. I might go so far as to say it could be a little intimidating for the other team to go up against Getzy out there on a PK. You turn that puck over and a shorthanded goal could only be seconds away. Additionally, our boys did a great job keeping the opposing power play from setting up and taking shots on our net. The Wild didn't get any man-advantage goals.

Speaking of our net, it's Jonas Hiller who got the start this game. He looked excellent out there, making some amazing saves with his lightning-quick lateral movement.


Hillsy tapping his stick on the ice to rally the boys.

Our fourth line even got a piece of the point pie, putting together a simple yet effective play. George Parros kept Backstrom's attention occupied as Mike Brown's rebound was smacked cleanly into the net by Ryan Carter.


Carts, Petteri Nokeleinen, Getzy, and Joffrey Lupul. Carts would pen his first season goal tonight.

Of note, Erik Christensen centered Saku and Teemu Selanne and did a terrific job this game. He had a number of shots on goal, and probably wouldn't have been denied so many times had anyone other than Backstrom been in net. I'd love to see him out there on the second line again, maybe he's the missing link.


Evgeny Artyukhin dropped gloves for the first time this season with ex-Duck Shane Hnidy. Tooks owned, 'nuff said.

The Wild would answer two of the three Anaheim goals, but they wouldn't get the comeback this time. Two points and a win at home for our Ducks, 3-2.


Ducks faithful waited anxiously for Perry to earn his first NHL hat trick, but it was not to be this time.


Ducks celebrate a win with netminder Jonas Hiller.