Ducks vs Toronto Maple Leafs

I have a coworker whose father has been a Ducks season ticket holder since day 1. He doesn't go to games anymore, but he still has his seats which get divided up by various family members at the beginning of every season.

My coworker graciously allows us to buy occasional seats at face value. Tonight's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs (aka the Anaheim Ducks of Toronto) is the first of six that I'm splitting with another coworker. I chose this game for one reason: Matthew Lombardi. Haven't seen Lombo live on the ice in almost two years (he spent last season with the Nashville Predators and, thanks to a concussion he received in early October, he missed all of his team's games against the Ducks).

And I was stuck with tickets to every Predator-Duck game.

So now Lombo is with the Leafs and he's recovered from that concussion. BUT, he suffered a shoulder injury last week and has been out on IR. ARGH.



One of these days, Lombo, I WILL see you again.

At least reason number two for getting this game was still valid: my seat buddy is a big Joffrey Lupul fan. Loops didn't leave the Ducks on a good note so we're expecting him to pour the heat on tonight.



It's amazing what kind of season Lupul has had with the Leafs. He went on record and exposed the cold reception he'd received from Coach Carlyle upon returning to the Ducks' lineup after his back surgery and blood infection. We knew he'd have plenty to prove tonight.


Please Loops, have mercy


Lost, also, in the Lupul trade was promising rookie Jake Gardiner. I'm still upset about that, the kid had major potential


Leafs goalies, rookie Ben Scrivens and veteran Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson


Of course, we'd get The Monster tonight

We badly need a win. The Ducks are on a six-game losing streak and you can feel the tension on the bench. The boys started the game determined, and we even scored first.


Ducks celebrate after Francois Beauchemin's winning rocket down the slot


Playing aggressively the entire night, Lupul threw his weight around as he checked and pushed Ducks on their way back to the bench


Rough night for Sheldon Brookbank who took a puck to the face and got tripped and run over behind the net

Once the Leafs started scoring, a dark cloud came over the Ducks' bench. It was as if the players were collectively saying, "Oh dear God no, not again..." You could see the disappointment on their faces, in their body language, in the lack of energy.

It was heartbreaking.


Feel free, Ducks fans, to print this one out and fit it to your favorite dartboard, punching bag, etc...

Honestly, and this is just my opinion, I'm not a GM or coach nor do I ever want to have that kind of job hanging over my head, but I don't believe anyone on the bench is hearing Carlyle anymore. He was remarkably quiet during this game. I've previously seen him yelling, barking orders, planning plays during commercial breaks and the like. Tonight's game was different.

On the other hand, I loved how assistant coach Mike Foligno would pat guys on the shoulder after they got off the ice. He would lean his head to them and give them a few words when they took a seat back on the bench. Whether it was encouragement or constructive criticism, it just looked like a connection with someone who cares.

This is the guy I want to be our head coach. Look what he did with our PK, imagine what else he could do.

Our boys look lost and disheartened. They need guidance.


Teemu Selanne deserves better in his final season


Bobby Ryan: I guess I'm the pink elephant in the room...


Corey Perry's absolutely beautiful top shelf snap shot goal was easily lost in the Ducks' defeat

I don't know, Ducks fans. Something needs to happen, and I really don't believe it involves trading off our multiple-year 30+ goal scorers. But that's just me.

Ducks vs Calgary Flames

Even though the Anaheim Ducks' home record against the Calgary Flames at the Ponda is very favorable, you never want to take anything for granted. Especially in a Western Conference playoff race that's this tight.

The Ducks need every point they can get.


Calgary Flames goalkeeper Miikka Kiprusoff

Normally, I see this guy in goal for the Flames and I figure our Ducks' work is cut out for them. Kipper is one of the best.

But even the best have bad days.


Duck, Duck, Goalie

After only the first 6 minutes of play, the Ducks had lit the lamp three times. Ryan Getzlaf started the onslaught with a wrister top shelf, followed by Corey Perry netting one on the power play. Francois Beauchemin would finish with a slap shot from the blue line.


Not even close, Kipper. Can you see the puck right behind the goal line??

That was the end of Kipper's night. Enter backup Henrik Karlsson.

I was as elated as any other Ducks fan at this point. Heck, our boys played a hard game last night in the Kings' barn that went into OT... it was a gift that we'd jump out early with a 3-goal lead. However, I feared this would make our boys unfocused and sloppy, thinking they had the Flames pegged.

Unfortunately, I was right. It took only 20 minutes to unravel that lead. By the end of the second, the Flames had bounced back, and Karlsson had effectively kept his net clean. The score was now tied 3-3.

A Ducks game is never a Ducks game without nervous nailbiting. Seven minutes into the third period, Flames captain Jerome Iginla puts his team in the lead. Ducks spend the next 10 trying to find that equalizer. I'm sure I'm not the only fan wishing Kipper would return to the crease.

Can you believe we actually had a three-goal lead at one point in this game??


Luca Sbisa fending off Iginla

At the moment of truth, two minutes before the end of regulation, goaltender Dan Ellis is pulled for the extra attacker. Teemu Selanne, whose name must translate into "Clutch" in Finnish, tips in a Getzlaf feed.

Twice in two days, Ducks head into 4-on-4 overtime.

And again, another deja vu moment. Bobby Ryan gets tripped up in a breakaway attempt and is awarded a penalty shot.


Bobby had better luck with his penalty shot against the Red Wings' Jimmy Howard

Unfortunately, Bobby wouldn't end the game with a winner in OT. That title would go instead to Perry who has a Toni Lydman one-timer deflect off of him and under Karlsson. The Ponda erupts in yells and screams.

DUCKS WIN AGAIN IN OT!!


Probably just as relieved as us fans, the Ducks pounced on Perry in celebration


A few words from Perry in the post-game interview, as first star of the game

Ducks vs Minnesota Wild

A lot has happened between the pipes since the last game I attended! For one, check out the new goaltending tandem for the Anaheim Ducks:


Introducing, starter Dan Ellis and backup Ray Emery

Yup, THAT Dan Ellis. And yes, THAT Ray Emery.

With all due respect to former Ducks goalie Curtis McElhinney, we need someone who can stop pucks and we need him NOW. There's no timetable as to how long it will be before Jonas Hiller is ready to play again, and the Ducks are steadily losing ground in the playoff race.

Ellis flew in the night before and had maybe two practices at best with his new team on Ponda ice. Nonetheless, he would be starting in tonight's game. Needless to say, lots of Duck faithful would be very curious as to how well he'd do.


You can put a Ducks' jersey on him, but his mask still screams "Tampa Bay Lightning"


Emery remains up from the AHL just in case, but I'd much prefer to see him get more conditioning before he has to take over the net


Also back in tonight's game, new daddy Ryan Getzlaf

Pretty soon, he'll be coming to the rink just to get some rest away from the screaming baby!

Ellis came up big on the first few saves. I started to feel that maybe we'd be okay. A few things I noticed about him. Ellis is much more expressive on the ice. He talks to the defense and directs play. He looks much more comfortable in his puck handling skills. He also rallied the boys a number of times, slapping his stick on the ice for momentum. I'm hoping the team develops a chemistry with him.

I thought our offense played well. The Ducks earned their chances to pepper Wild goalie Jose Theodore.


Rookie Brandon McMillan. Keep an eye on this kid


There was no way defenseman Toni Lydman could stop the bids on net from a 2-on-1 that led to the Wild's first goal early in the first

As it became apparent that Theodore was nothing short of on fire tonight, coach Carlyle started to mix up the lines.


Theodore on "forcefield mode"


Ellis in position

The Wild held the lead for a good 25 minutes of play until finally, Bobby Ryan got one under, and behind, Theodore.


Bobby would score his 100th NHL goal tonight, tying up the game, and becoming (I believe) only the 6th Duck to break the 100-goals mark


Cam Fowler, up close and personal

In the third, the Wild would take the lead again with a little over five minutes left in regulation. As our Ducks put 30, 35, 40 shots on goal, those two points felt like they were slipping away with each passing second.


At the 18:00 mark, Francois Beauchemin netted the equalizer

Fans were treated to five minutes of overtime and, when it looked like we'd get the chance to size up Ellis in the shootout, the Wild stole it all away and brought the game to an abrupt halt. With only six seconds left, a major fumble on the part of the Ducks defense resulted in a puck behind Ellis.

Well, at least we got a point. But more importantly, I do feel that things will improve with a capable goalie between the pipes.

Bring on the Avalanche!