Changing of the guard

On Saturday morning the news broke that Jonas Hiller had been signed to a 4-year contract extension. This would keep him in Anaheim through the 2013-14 season at $4.5 million per year. Reasonable, considering the young netminder is only going to improve with time and had already shown such promise in last season's playoffs.

Ducks fans everywhere would rejoice, as the future of Ducks goaltending appeared to be in safe gloved hands. It was a little obvious that Hiller had unofficially taken over the number one goaltender position for the Ducks; he has been the primary starter since the beginning of the year.

24 hours later, J.S. Giguere would receive the call that he'd been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for goaltender Vesa Toskala and left winger Jason Blake. Jiggy was sent back to the hotel from morning practice to pack up his things.

J.S. Giguere was no longer a Duck, an era in Anaheim Ducks history had ended.

Yours truly was shocked but not completely surprised at the news. It saddens me greatly, yes, because this is the Jiggy that carried an Anaheim Ducks team to the 2003 playoff finals. This is the Jiggy that brought home a Conn Smythe trophy despite being on the losing team. And this is the Jiggy that would make sure his team would lift Lord Stanley, on home ice, in 2007.

On a personal note, Giguere was the first Ducks player I came to recognize as I used to passively listen to radio game broadcasts in my early days as a hockey fan. He wasn't just a Ducks player, he was THE Ducks player. The man had been the face of the franchise to me, and his quiet congeniality during interviews with the media was something I had grown fond of.

In person, Jiggy was exactly that. A fan favorite, the superstar was always humble, always smiling, always agreeable to pose for a picture or sign an autograph for a fan. I'm going to miss having him playfully shoot pucks against the glass at us during warmups at the Ponda.

Thank you for everything you've done with this club, J.S. The Ducks would be nowhere near anything without your perserverance, your passion, your faith. We wish you the very best of luck in Toronto, and we hope to see you on Anaheim ice again soon.

The Anaheim Ducks' J.S. Giguere 2000-2010

Ducks at Los Angeles, vs Kings

Coming off an exhaustingly physical game against the Boston Bruins the evening before, our Ducks are in no shape to take on division rivals, the Los Angeles Kings.

Looking at the NHL schedule, yours truly has to ask, why do we face the Kings at the Staples Center on the second night of a back-to-back three times this season??

I understand coach Carlyle wanting to reward Jonas Hiller with yet another start, especially after he handled the second Nashville-Chicago back-to-back with such excellence, but really? Do we need to tire out our number one goaltender at this point in the season? If it were up to me, J.S. Giguere would have started this game.

Yours truly watched this one at the official Ducks watch party at Mutt Lynch's in Newport Beach. Nice sports bar, tasty BBQ wings, would definitely visit again.

I was not expecting much from our hometown heroes tonight, but what I was definitely not wanting was a lower body injury (they're saying it's a knee injury) to Saku Koivu that takes him out of the game. Also, there's a huge hit that my boy Bobby Ryan placed on a King in the final moments of the game that might possibly be under review by the league.

Otherwise, our boys did not play that badly in the first and second periods of the game. However, they just could not generate the needed offense. Two of the Kings goals were lucky pinball bounces that no goaltender would have been able to stop, if only by luck. It was also very apparent that the Kings had studied our game with the Bruins the night prior, and they took our boys to task physically. The game started to get downright angry in the third as penalty minutes piled up.

In the end, I believe the 0-4 score doesn't accurately reflect the efforts and early game play of the Ducks, but I'm hoping that, with two days rest, our boys will be ready to put that winning streak back together for Sunday's matchup here at home against the Calgary Flames.

But first, stay tuned for story and pictures from tonight's Casino Night!

Ducks at Chicago, vs Blackhawks

Again, yours truly was at work for the majority of this game. Undoubtedly, it'd turn out to be a good thing.

I didn't have to hear our boys struggle through the first period, which didn't see any goals on the board from either team. Ducks had played the Nashville Predators the night before, and the 'Hawks had played the Los Angeles Kings the night before. Both teams took a little time warming up.

Unfortunately, the Blackhawks warmed up way before our Ducks did. Scoring twice in the second, they kept up their onslaught while the wheels completely fell off of the Anaheim train going into the third.

Yours truly got home from work, turned on the television, saw the Hawks score three more times in a span of five minutes, and aptly turned the television off.

Petteri Nokelainen would pot two goals for the Ducks in the later half of the third period, but it was already too late. As uttered previously, at least it wasn't a shutout.

Come back home, boys. At least you have a better home record.

Ducks at San Jose, vs Sharks

Here we are, the day after Christmas (also Boxing Day to all you Canadians out there), hoping our hometown heroes can finally come out on top for the first time this season against the San Jose Sharks.

The starting lineup announcement reveals J.S. Giguere in net versus Sharks' Evgeni Nabokov. Personally, yours truly would prefer our Shark Killer, but he ended up playing back-to-backs earlier in the week (I am still upset about that).

Nick Boynton and Evgeny Artyukhin are healthy scratches, and this worries me because 1) Steve Eminger is back out defending the blue line, after being scratched for the past 11 games, and I honestly haven't been impressed with his performance and 2) Nicky B has been doing a great job out there and I see no reason to mess with that!

Coach Carlyle, you kill me.

The game starts off very physical, as it always tends to be against these division rivals. Unfortunately, the Sharks go up first with the early lead after a whiffed feed turns into a lucky pass. Big George Parros tries to send a message soon after with a good scrap against Frazer McLaren.

Kudos to Brett Festerling who took and dealt a number of hard hits during this game. You need guys who are willing to do that, especially against the Sharks who are more than willing to exact physical payback against the team that snuffed out their playoff dreams early last season. This rivalry is alive and kicking.

By the end of the first period, the shots on goal are equal (11 each) but the Sharks are up 2-0. I'm already not liking the look of this...

The Ducks tighten up their passes in the second period, but are still not able to generate anything on the scoreboard, not even on the power play.

My boy Bobby Ryan is back on the top line along with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, with Kyle Calder down on the second with Saku Koivu and Dan Sexton. I don't know, maybe it's better to have Bobby helping out on that second line? Especially since you know coach McLellan is going to have the big Joe Thorton line out against Getzy and Perry. We need to get some kind of scoring somewhere!

As the Sharks pot yet another goal, this one has the puck pinballing between James Wisniewski and Captain Scott Niedermayer before getting past Jiggy, I can't believe how unlucky our bounces are. Getzlaf leaves the game late in the second after a self-inflicted leg laceration a la Teemu Selanne. Argh.

In tonight's game, it seems WE are our own worst enemy!

At some point, Sharks are up 5-0 and I'm about to turn off the television. Then, Kyle Chipchura knocks ex-Duck Kent Huskins away from the puck. He steals the turnover and goes one on one against Naby.

Yay, a Ducks goal! There's a collective "ThankGodItWontBeAShutout" sigh amongst Duck fans everywhere.

The third period (my gosh, there's more of this torture to endure??) sees our boys with a number of chances, but it's not until Bobby is able to grab a puck off a Perry rebound and stuff it five-hole, do we get another goal.

There's a small amount of momentum in an already doomed game, but I have to say our boys made the most of it. A series of fights break out, Chimichanga versus Scott Nichol and even rookie Matt Belesky versus Jed Ortmeyer. I'm impressed by Belesky. That kid can throw a punch!

And even in a 2-5 loss, our boys didn't go out with their tails tucked between their legs. Of course I would much rather have taken a win, but if we had to lose, at least our boys went down fighting.

Ducks vs Dallas Stars

"Ducks have failed to show again"

This was my text to a fellow hockey fan during the second period of last night's contest between the Anaheim Ducks and the Dallas Stars. The game was half over, Ducks were down an embarrassing (yet not entirely shocking) 0-3, and most of the minimal "crowd" at the Ponda looked as disappointed as I felt.


Like rats jumping off the Titanic...

Through the first period and the first half of the second, our offense was nonexistent. So was the defense, for that matter. I noted way too much space between Ducks' D and oncoming Stars forwards. What happened to keeping them on the perimeter? What happened to knocking the puck away or blocking shooting/passing lanes? It was as if our defensemen forgot what they were supposed to be doing out there.

J.S. Giguere got the start in net but he, too, didn't look 100% in the game. The Stars took advantage of every odd-man rush, and Jiggy was out of position for most of them.


As much as I despise Stars' netminder Marty Turco, I have to admit he's a damn good goalie

It also didn't help that, for whatever reason, Ducks couldn't seem to buy a power play.


Sheldon Brookbank trying to light a fire under his mates by knocking fists with Stars' Krys Barch after the Stars go up 0-2 in the 1st

As valiant as Brookbank's fight was, he got in some great punches, our boys would remain off the scoreboard well into the second period. Joffrey Lupul took a penalty for tripping with less than four minutes left. Luckily, the Ducks PK stepped up to fight that one off and Ryan Getzlaf, with perfect timing, manages to fire the puck right to Lupes as he rushed out of the sin bin.

Lupes neatly completed the pass at center ice and sped off toward Turco. He stuffed the puck five-hole and, even though Turco actually made the save, his backward momentum from having to match Lupul's speed sends him and the puck into his net.

Yours truly breathed a sigh of relief as our Ducks headed into the second intermission with a goal on the board. At least we wouldn't get shut out.

And then, in the third, the team actually shows up. There's more energy on the ice and in the stands of the Ponda. Then, the unsung hero emerges.

*cue inspirational music*

My boy Bobby Ryan makes a play in front of the net, but loses the puck off his stick. New linemate Dan Sexton is also in the crease and flips the puck past Turco. It's only Dany's third NHL game, but he has given his team a fighting chance.


A rookie's favorite moment: his first NHL goal

I do remember stating, back during the preseason exhibition, that Dany and Bobby had a certain chemistry. I had even pondered the possibility of a scoring line built around the two wingers. With Teemu Selanne out for the next 4-6 weeks, I think a line consisting of Dany, Bobby, and Saku Koivu might do just nicely. How about it, Carlyle?

Either way, Dany continued to shine. He put a game-high nine shots on goal and dominated the ice every time he was on it. The energy inside the Ponda had become infectious. Fans fed off our boys and our boys fed off us. A majority of the third period was spent in the Stars defensive zone, and when the puck would enter the Ducks zone, our defense was there to keep things under control.

Why can't we play all three periods like this?

And then, with only a minute left in regulation, Dany comes up big again. His second goal, a shot that capitalizes on a mistake by Turco, ties the game up 3-3. Suddenly, we're looking at overtime.

Ducks continue OT with the same fervor they showed during the third. The Stars were all but caught back on their heels. Remembering our recent failures in the shootout, I prayed we'd score before the five minutes were up.

Luckily, the hockey gods were listening. With only a minute left in OT, Saku got his stick on the puck after a battle along the boards and took it up on a 3-on-1 rush. Converging on Turco, his first shot is blocked, but he catches the rebound and sends it over the leg pad for the win!


"Ducks win!!"



The celebration on the ice is nearly as big as the one in the stands. What an amazing comeback!


A very deserving Dan Sexton gets the first star of the game

Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks

This is a big one, folks. Our hometown heroes have managed to string two wins together, but can they even hope for a third? The Chicago Blackhawks team that has rolled into Anaheim is a scary one. Touting their own line of red-hot young guns, a newly-healed Marian Hossa, and bigtime goaltender Cristobal Huet, it's important that our boys show up strong in this one.

And they do, but not before some sloppy play by both teams in the opening minutes. A number of turnovers and odd-man rushes have J.S. Giguere and Huet pulling the big saves.

Yours truly is elated to see Jiggy absolutely rocking between the pipes.

The Chicago power play isn't something you want to see very often, but our Ducks flirt with it twice in the first period. Luckily, our PK is looking strong tonight. They've improved nicely over the last couple of games. In similar fashion, they prevent the 'Hawks from scoring both times.

The Blackhawks do a little penalty killing of their own, but not quite as successfully as our Ducks. Ducks strike first with a power play goal, a beautiful display of Corey Perry skills. Ryan Whitney at the blue line tosses a puck towards the net, and it hits Perry in the gut. The puck then drops to the ice, with Perry waiting patiently. In one motion, he sweeps the puck to Teemu Selanne on the other side of the crease, and Teemu pops it in.

Perry's assist on that Selanne goal ties him with none other than Teemu Selanne in the franchise high 17-game point streak (set back in 1999).

Ducks go into the first intermission leading 1-0.

Our hometown heroes burst into the second period with energy, taking advantage of Chicago's turnovers in the neutral zone to get the puck in deep.

Again, I'm impressed with Evgeny Artyukhin on our Finnish line. In one instance, the whistle blew as Saku Koivu knocked a puck that was easily covered up by Huet. A 'Hawk takes the liberty of pushing Saku while he's following up near the crease and Tuuk, coming to the aid of his linemate, converges on the guy and gives him a good shove back.

I'm liking that opponents will think twice before pushing around our veteran Finns because they'll have all of 6'5", 270-pound Tuuk to answer to. Way to back up your mates!

Capitalizing on another Blackhawk penalty, Selanne comes up big again. Captain Scott Niedermayer gets the puck to Getzlaf who streaks up the slot and backhands it towards Huet. Stick battling with a 'Hawk defender right in front of the crease, Selanne gets a piece of it, bounces a carom off his stick, and sends it into the net.

I can't believe it, Ducks lead 2-0.

"This team would not be the Ducks without Teemu."--Giguere

Blackhawks take yet another penalty, with Byfuglien taking an uncalled for liberty on Jiggy, falling all over him, knocking his mask off, and sending a forearm and a knee into the back of Jiggy's head. In anger, Jiggy rushes him and gives him a good shove, but nothing that will get him a neutralizing penalty. Byfuglien gets two minutes in the box and our boys take advantage once again.

This time, it's a simple slap shot from the point by Nick Boynton. Clean path for Nicky's rocket of a shot, which is screened by Kyle Calder. Nicky's first goal as a Duck brings big smiles from the D-man, and yours truly is very happy to see Nicky rewarded for all of his hard work thusfar on the blueline. An assist point goes to my boy Bobby Ryan.

Despite the three goals, I have to hand it to Huet for keeping the damage to only three goals. Our boys are coming on hard, and Huet has had to make some great saves.

Ducks take the 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

The third period sees more good play from our boys. Blackhawks fight feverishly for a goal, but Jiggy denies their every bid. No additional goals (but lots of close calls) for our Ducks in this period, but they don't need any. Jiggy gets his first shutout of the season, and our boys snap the 'Hawks 8-game winning streak.

Another interesting factoid, this is Jiggy's 32nd career shutout. Incidentally, Miikka Kiprusoff (whose team our boys played earlier this week) also had his 32nd career shutout today, in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Great job, guys! Arguably your best game of the season to date. Let's keep climbing!

Ducks vs Calgary Flames

How about it, Ducks?

Based on prior track records for the Calgary Flames here at the Ponda, you'd think our boys would have a good chance at nabbing two points. But this is hockey, and these are our Anaheim Ducks. So you never know.

Yours truly watched Flames captain (and all-around great guy) Jerome Iginla net a hat-trick against the Los Angeles Kings during their last game, and I'm understandably worried. The Flames are playing Miikka Kiprusoff (another personal favorite) in net, while our Ducks will put their faith in J.S. Giguere. Not to take anything away from my Ducks, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Kipper is a huge goaltender, arguably the best in the league currently. To say it'll be tough to get pucks past him is an understatement.


New headgear for Jiggs

One thing is certain, it was set to be a great game from the very start, as most games between Ducks and Flames tend to be.

Our hometown heroes came out looking good. Lots of grinding in the corners put pucks on Ducks' sticks, I'm liking how our boys are winning a majority of their battles along the boards. Strong forechecks and aggressive play sets the stage early on for this game.

An already physical start got even more physical as big George Parros drops gloves with monster Brian McGrattan. This guy is scary. But the fight's a good one, and fans are treated to a relatively equal exchange of punches.


Parros and McGrattan doin' the tango

I'm happy to note that Jiggy is holding his own nicely between the pipes. Of course, it definitely helps when the rest of your team, especially your defense, decides to suit up at the same time you do. But confidence is contagious on the rink, and Jiggy is a big piece of that tonight.

Our boys are on the penalty kill first, with a hooking call on Kyle Calder, and soon after that again, with an unfortunately questionable hooking call on my boy Bobby Ryan. Since Jiggy is the one in net, Ducks penalty killers take a different approach. Hanging back towards the middle of the ice, they allow Jiggy a clean look at the puck at all times. It's been reported that Jiggy prefers his mates stay out of the way through long bids on goal from the offense.

Some goalies want all shots blocked as best as possible, others prefer clean, deflection-less paths between puck and glove.

We do a good job on the penalty kill, but the Flames still net the first goal of the game as ex-Duck Glencross neatly evades d-man Nicky Boynton and challenges Jiggy one-on-one. The puck pops the water bottle and the Flames take the early lead.

But our big line answers back. Ryan Getzlaf pressures the puck away from behind the Flames' net, right to Corey Perry waiting in the slot. He fires the puck towards Kipper, who blocks the shot but leaves a rebound in the crease that Bobby is able to knock into a nearly open net.


Another goal for the Bobby Ryan goal tally

And again, a Ryan Whitney slap shot from the point (assisted by James Wisniewski from down the blue line) makes it through to the Flames' net. It rebounds off Kipper's shoulder, and Getzlaf is there when it lands to hammer it home.


That assist for Perry gives him a 15-game point streak, second longest in franchise history

Joffrey Lupul is still out with back spasms, so coach Carlyle has kept Evgeny Artyukhin on the second line with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu. There are some coordination issues still needing to be worked out, guys needing to connect passes and match strides, but those get better with practice. I'm still liking the potential of this second line combo.

The game goes without a goal all the way until the final 18 seconds of the third period. Playing 6-on-5, Iginla comes up big for the equalizer. On one hand, I'm happy our boys all but shut him down for most of the game. On the other, it's just heartbreaking to watch the regulation win slip through our boys' fingers with 18 seconds to go.

The ensuing five minutes of OT go at a draw, and we move to the shootout. Ducks shooters are Perry, Getzy, and Selanne. I still believe Bobby should get the shootout opportunity over Getzy, if anything, because Bobby puts 500% more shots on goal than Getzy does. But tonight, it's Selanne that comes up big with a Finnish finish.


Blurry, but this is the Finnish Flash with the game-winning biscuit in the basket

Win or loss, our boys should be proud of their play tonight. Even better, they have something to show for it in the standings. Two points for our hometown heroes, and yet another reason for the Flames to loathe the Ponda.


Ducks celebrate a win with Jiggy

Ducks at New Jersey, vs Devils

It has felt like ages since the last Ducks game, and our boys start their 4-game road trip with a contest against the New Jersey Devils. Not looking to be easy, the Devils have been doing very well. I'm sure it doesn't help our Ducks one bit that Martin Brodeur, the NHL's winningest goaltender, will be between the pipes for the Devs.

Oddly enough, this game would have seen the Niedermayer brothers playing on the same ice for the first time this season, albeit in opposing sweaters. Robbie, however, is out with an injury, so that story will have to play out next season.

J.S. Giguere flew out with his mates on the roadtrip, his groin injury supposedly healed, and Justin Pogge was reassigned once again to Bakersfield. Rumors continue to fly regarding Jiggy's future with the team. While I fully support Jonas Hiller as our number one goalie (I believe he proved himself capable during our playoff run last season), I do feel bad for Jiggy. The guy has an extensive history with this franchise; he was a superstar not too many years ago. He's also an outstanding individual, always gracious and friendly with fans. Based on principle alone, he deserves better than to be hung out to dry by the naysayers.

But that's just yours truly being sentimental. Inevitably, I want the goaltender that performs best to be in our net. Period. That's the only way our Ducks will have a chance to be playoff contenders this year.

Hiller will start tonight, but we'll most likely see Jiggy start at least once during the road trip.

An unexpected lineup change, Saku Koivu is out of this game with a lower body injury. Not too happy about this one, I was hoping to see continued production from the second line since they had seemed to begin clicking as of late. Erik Christensen will be filling in and, as good a player as he might be, he definitely can't finish like the Fins.

Right off the first faceoff, Langenbrunner slams a puck from the blue line which deflects off a stick and angles past Hiller. Devils take the lead a mere 38 seconds into the game. Not a good start, and a complete confidence buster for our boys.

I've always admired how Hiller recovers and refocuses after a goal. He doesn't get visibly emotionally shaken after he lets one in, and I'm sure that definitely helps our boys. They look fast and physical against an equally gritty Devils team. Calls seem to go our way for the first period, and the Ducks get a number of power play opportunities. Unfortunately, they are frustratingly unable to capitalize.

Within the first three minutes of the second period, our hometown heroes tie up the game. My boy Bobby Ryan speeds the puck around behind the Devils' net, passing quickly to Ryan Getzlaf in the slot. He throws the puck into traffic in front of Brodeur, who takes a gamble with a poke check attempt. He fails to make contact, however, and Corey Perry is right there in front of the open net as the puck squeezes between Brodeur's pads.

That goal extends Perry's 9-game scoring streak; arguably Perry is the hottest Duck at the moment. The Ducks are gifted soon after by another power play after a Devils penalty for too many men on the ice. One would hope they'd be able to snatch the lead, but again they can't capitalize. Our boys just can't penetrate the zone.

The story stays pretty much the same for the rest of the game. Devils pull ahead with two more goals, our boys can't get anything else going. Even on yet another too many men on the ice penalty against the Devs, there's no offense on the power plays. Hopefully not a sign of things ahead, Ducks have three more games in four days, but drop this one to the Devils, 1-3.

Ducks at New York, vs Rangers

Our hometown heroes start off a long home stretch tonight in their game against the Minnesota Wild. Yours truly is hoping they take back those two points they so ungracefully lost last week. With Wild forwards Sykora and Clutterbuck out of the lineup with injuries, I think our Ducks have a good chance of winning this one.

In the meantime, I will mention that our Ducks finished off their 4-game road trip with an afternoon scuffle against the New York Rangers. A completely unremarkable game, our boys were tired and lifeless much through the first period. They picked up a bit in the second and third, but couldn't generate any offense. To his credit, J.S. Giguere was on his game, practically standing on his head to keep Ranger pucks out of his net for the first two periods. He kept the final score from becoming something along the lines of 0-13.

Ducks were shutout 0-3, with the Rangers scoring three times in the third period, before heading back to the West Coast.

Overall, the road trip generated a total 5 points. Not too shabby. Let's hope they can improve on last season's lackluster home stats.

In other news, Ducks winger Joffrey Lupul has been brought on to write a blog for the Ducks official site. Lupes has a candid style of writing which makes his blog a fun read. There's a link to a form that allows fans to send questions and comments to Lupes; he'll answer the best questions in upcoming posts. The link to his blog, "In the Loops" is in the sidebar.


Joffrey Lupul shares the puck experience from a player's point of view

Ducks at Minnesota, vs Wild

Hoping to forget the awful home opener, our Ducks made their first appearance of a four-game road trip tonight in St. Paul, Minnesota. Hopefully what the kinder analysts had to say would be true: an early road trip gives a team with a lot of new players the chance to bond, thus improving their game.

Some items of interest to look forward to in this game:
- J.S. Giguere will be in net tonight.
- Niklas Backstrom, an amazing butterfly goaltender in his own right, will be in net for the Wild. Offense will have to step it up on both sides to get by these veteran netminders.
- This will be only the fifth matchup of the Koivu brothers. Which team has the better Koivu?
- Andrew Ebbett and Nick Boynton will suit up for the first time this season. Yours truly is quite curious to see how they will do.

The 1st period of the game went scoreless, but I was happy to see that our Ducks didn't look like they were skating through quicksand (as they looked in their opener against the Sharks). Passes were completed, there were considerably less Duck turnovers in the neutral zone, and the forecheck looked good.

Our hometown heroes blew the game wide open in the 2nd period, with three Ducks earning their first goals as Ducks. Joffrey Lupul redirected a one-timer from Ryan Whitney into the net, before blocking a puck with his face later which sent him off for the rest of the period. Backstrom was beat a second time by a quick pass from Corey Perry across the slot to Evgeny Artyukhin, who hammered it home. The big smile on Arty's face afterwards said it all. And the third goal would come from Saku Koivu, off a rebound from James Wisniewski's bid on Backstrom.

It started to look as if our boys had found themselves. Ebbett added a welcomed element of speed and energy to the Todd Marchant-Mike Brown line. Grit and physicality dominated. Passing and shooting lanes were more effectively blocked, and some big hits were made. Jiggy looked top-notch between the pipes with great positioning and few rebounds.

Unfortunately, the 2nd period ended and the 3rd period began. Our boys started to look tired and less aggressive. Big George Parros got worked over in a fight with John Scott, and the game went rapidly downhill with three Wild goals (Koivu, Sykora, Belanger) that brought on OT. Wiz took an ill-timed roughing penalty and the Wild capitalized to win it.

It shouldn't have been. Our Ducks basically threw in the towel with 10 minutes left in the game. The defense isn't strong enough to withstand 10 minutes of continual puck chipping into the offensive zone and then trying to protect against the opponent's rush. Throw in a flat-out dumb penalty and... ugh.

Let's hope for a better outcome Thursday as the Ducks take on the Boston Bruins. If our Ducks can improve as much as they did from Saturday's game to tonight, I think they might actually win the next one. At least, it couldn't be worse than the last time they faced the Bruins (0-6).