Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers go into tonight's contest riding a horrible losing streak... but that doesn't give our Ducks any reason to be confident. This one counts just as much as any other game, and our boys need to come up big in their last at home before the Olympic break.

Especially without Ryan Getzlaf due to that ankle sprain.

The game does not start well. Our boys look rather slow, very un-physical, and there's a huge disparity of shots on goal between the clubs. Yours truly wants to yell, "Why aren't you skating?! Let's play on their end! WAKE UP, DUCKS!!"


Hiller: "Dude, throw me a bone, eh?"

Jonas Hiller is the only player who appears to have suited up, and thank goodness he has. He's tested quite a few times in the first period, but holds steady. The Oil come out with guns blazing and I'm amazed they weren't rewarded for their efforts.


As if sensing the need for some energy, big George Parros drops gloves with Jacques

Maybe it worked! Corey Perry sends a threading the needle pass across the slot to my boy Bobby Ryan, who instantly chips it in with a one-timer.


Bobby and company at the bench to collect high-fives after the goal

With Getzy out, Bobby, Perry, and Saku Koivu make up the first line. It's an interesting group and I'm curious to see how successful they are. That one goal is a good start. Teemu Selanne, Matt Beleskey, and Ryan Carter compose the second offensive line... at least for the time being.

You know how coach Carlyle is about mixing up the lines.

Ducks go into the first intermission with the only goal of the game and yours truly is glad for that, even if we didn't quite earn it.

Back to back penalties earn the Oilers nearly 90 seconds of 5-on-3 power play. Our Ducks collapse into a tight defensive triangle and manage to keep the Oil off the board. Simply amazing.

Oilers also take their share of penalties, but Duck power plays would appear to be a bad omen tonight. A little less than halfway through the game, Oilers would force a turnover and get a short-handed bid past Hiller. Ugh.

Ducks do get their chances, but it looks like the same scenario every time. The first bid gets blocked by the Oilers netminder, and the imminent rebound never gets picked up. Why do we not have anyone crashing the crease??

With 5 minutes left in the 2nd, the Oil do it again with another short-hander. They take the lead, 2-1. But Anaheim answers back quickly during that same power play. Bobby receives a quick pass from Petteri Nokelainen, and sends a rocket of a sniper shot over the glove hand of the Oiler goaltender.

The game is tied 2-2 at the second intermission.

Play goes back and forth, up and down, for most of the third. About halfway through, Todd Marchant completes a perfect deflection of a slapper from James Wisniewski at the blue line. Ducks have regained the lead.


Marchant's redirection gets Wisniewski's slapshot bid into the Oil net before the glove even comes up

Frantically, the Oilers try to force the game into overtime with an equalizer. Luckily, Hiller and the boys deny them.


First star of the game, Jonas Hiller. The team better buy him a steak dinner

It was a messy, somewhat sloppy game, but our Ducks finish off their February home schedule with two more points.

Just a few more pictures...


Yay for milestones!


For anyone curious, this is the new occupant (Vesa Toskala) of J.S. Giguere's stool next to the Ducks bench

The Ducks have two more games this weekend before the Olympic break. Yours truly is planning to cover as many of the Olympic games (ones that feature our hometown heroes) as possible, but no guarantees I'll be able to get telecasts.

But what I can offer is a Ducks54 exclusive: an interview with Team USA forward, and my personal favorite Duck (as if you didn't already know that), Bobby Ryan! Bobby was incredibly gracious and generous with his time, allowing yours truly to get the scoop on a variety of topics, hockey and otherwise. If you submitted a question for me to ask Bobby, chances are, he answered it. Stay tuned here for his answers.

Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings

After last Thursday's Kings/Ducks defeat, yours truly was looking for retribution in tonight's contest between the same two teams. This time, we'd be on Ducks home ice. And this time, our hometown heroes wouldn't be playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Maybe this time, we'd actually win for the first time in this season's Freeway Faceoff series. To add a little more pressure to the situation, the Kings roll into Anaheim riding a 9-game franchise-high winning streak. Our Ducks would hope to snap that streak, and add to their own 9-game home winning streak.

Yours truly was able to attend this game thanks to a generous Duck buddy with an extra ticket, but Baby Rebel was sans batteries. So no pictures tonight.

Even though tonight's contest took place on Duck ice, there were plenty of Kings fans in attendance. Such is always the case. And since the Kings scored first, those fans were even more obnoxious. Such is always the case. But our boys were playing hard. They were aggressive and gritty, putting lots of shots on goal. Just a matter of time.

Before the end of the first, our boys would tie things up with a power play goal from Teemu Selanne on a Kings 3-on-5. Bad penalties for the Kings to take (delay of game with a puck tossed over the glass, followed shortly by too many men on the ice), and Ducks capitalize after shooting repeatedly on Jonathan Quick.

Gotta say, Quick is one helluva goalie, even if he is a Kings goalie. Ducks have multiple chances, and yours truly is left wondering what they're going to have to do to get any more goals here.

We're tied 1-1 starting the second period.

Before the first half is over, our boys pull ahead with two more goals. The first comes off an awesome blind pass from Corey Perry to Ryan Getzlaf who quickly converts. It's a Pears-Getzy beauty, plain and simple.

What would have been the second goal of the period gets waived off. Perry is in the crease to knock a James Wisniewski rebound past Quick. The reason it's waived? "Player in the crease." And somehow, there is no penalty, just a no-goal. The crowd roars its disapproval.

To literally add injury to insult, Getzy twists awkwardly onto his ankle during that play. He disappears to the bench and doesn't return for the night.

Less than a minute later, Ducks get a goal that isn't waived off. It's Saku Koivu, chipping in a rebound from Teemu. He's not in the paint and it's good!

Ducks up 3-1, and there's a bit of a reprieve before the obnoxious King fan behavior starts up again. But just a bit. Kopitar nails one at the end of a Ryan Whitney penalty.

Ducks answer that goal less than 30 seconds later with a beauty of a sniper shot past the Kings defender and Quick's glove. Ducks take their two-goal lead into the second intermission. Yours truly must admit, this was one of the best second periods I've seen our hometown heroes play in a loooong time.

The Kings are expected to come on strong in the third, and that they do. Jonas Hiller is phenomenal, stopping bid after bid. I can feel the tension in the air, how long can he hold them off?

All. Period. Long. Hiller holds strong despite another Whitney penalty, and sees his team snap the Kings' streak while upholding the Ducks' home winning streak.

Ducks at Los Angeles, vs Kings

It's no secret that yours truly isn't exactly fond of Los Angeles Kings fans. Granted, they aren't as bad as Red Wings fans, and any half-knowledgeable Duck fan can always rebuke by pointing out that the Kings still have yet to win the Cup, but they're still nasty.

So by default, yours truly also isn't too hot about traveling 2+ hours in traffic to the proverbial lion's den to get heckled by Kings fans on their home turf.

However, a Duck friend offered a free ticket to tonight's contest and who am I to turn down free Ducks hockey?

John T. Meyer, of www.pickmyNHLteam.com fame, was also coming along to witness an away game with a small group of Ducks fans.

The game did not have the outcome I'd wanted, but it was encouraging to see the Ducks rally to tie things up in the third, 4-4, and for a while they managed to silence those pesky Kings fans. Unfortunately, victory would not be theirs, and Ducks would fall 4-6 in regulation. Despite the outcome, and despite the heckling, yours truly did get a number of excellent pictures.

So let's just focus on those.


Kings home ice


Warmups


Davis Gaines sings the national anthem


Jonas Hiller did well between the pipes. I believe our D could've done more to help him out.

I will give kudos to Brett Festerling, who played a gritty, hard-hitting game. Festerling was out there on every shift, hitting anything that moved. It was impressive.


Newcomer Jason Blake would pot his first goal as a Duck during the first period


George Parros engages in a long-winded fight with Ivanans in the first


A very loud Ducks fan (standing) in the next section over thoroughly annoyed all of the Kings fans around him with never-ending cries of "Let's go Ducks!" Priceless


Troy Bodie skating by the bench for high-fives after putting away his third NHL career goal


Ryan Carter (pictured) and Matt Beleskey would also score for the Ducks tonight


Staples Center crew replacing a pane of glass that fell after Ryan Getzlaf placed a huge hit on Matt Greene against the boards

Our hometown heroes will try to take some much-needed Western Conference points away from the Kings again Monday night. This time, our boys will be on home ice. And this time, they won't be playing the second of a back to back.

I'm hoping it'll make a difference.

Ducks vs Detroit Red Wings

The boys are back in town!

And not a moment too soon. This one is a notable game for a number of reasons.

We've got new faces on the ice. Jason Blake will make his home ice debut alongside Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu. Blake played the last game, but only versus viewers got to see him. Yours truly is curious about this lineup, prefering that my boy Bobby Ryan stay on the line with Koivu.


Blake, sporting number 33, and his new team during warmups

Glaringly absent, especially from warmups, is J.S. Giguere. Justin Pogge has been called back up in his place. Also absent are Dan Sexton and Nick Boynton, recalled to the minors. Matt Beleskey was also sent back down, but then quickly brought back up. Yours truly was happy about this, as the young man has shown excellent potential.

We've got new faces in the stands too. If you remember John Meyer of www.pickmyNHLteam.com fame, he's in attendance tonight as part of his official inDUCKtion to his Anaheim Ducks fanship. He has organized a small group of about 30 Ducks fans to get together and watch the game from the cheap seats, yours truly included. The game became a sort of Duck fan reunion for those of us who keep in touch and enjoy Duck games together through various forms of social media.


The group of Ducks fans John organized to join him at his first official Ducks game

This post is thusly dedicated to John and the other Duck fans and friendships that have formed thanks to these unique applications.

It's Jonas Hiller, our number one goaltender (ooh, like the sound of that!) versus Jimmy Howard in net for the Wings.

Just a minute and a half into the game, Ryan Whitney scores from the blue line with a slapper through a perfect Bobby Ryan screen. Our huge fan group erupts in screams and high-fives. Excellent start to the game.

Troy Bodie responds to a hit on Kyle Chipchura and drops gloves with Jonathan Ericsson. It's a good fight for Bodie, and both get five for fighting. Bodie continues to impress, and is rewarded with ample time on the Ducks checking line.

Our boys look like they could be playing more aggressively against these division rivals, but given the Wings played last night and our Ducks need to play tomorrow night, perhaps it's better that they've matched energy levels.

Before the end of the first, Steve Eminger shoots a wrister towards the net. It hits Chimichanga before landing behind Howard in the net. The goal, however, is under review for the possibility that Chimi batted the puck in with his hand.


Chipchura would net his fourth of the season

The goal is deemed good and Ducks take the 2-0 lead to the locker room at the first intermission.

Speaking of Eminger, great play by him defensively. I'm happy to see Eminger keeping up the improvements he's been showing ever since his return to the lineup weeks ago. He's blocking pucks, doing well in forcing breakaway players to the perimeter or stripping the puck away from them.

The Red Wings come on stronger in the second, as I expected they would. It doesn't help that the Ducks take back to back penalties, but Hiller holds strong and makes some phenomenal highlight reel saves. The penalty kill is still looking good. Howard is likewise making some good saves and keeping the damage to a minimum.


Hiller earned a well-deserved first star of the game

Yours truly is happy to see Saku Koivu playing well despite the lack of Bobby on his line. He forces a number of turnovers in tonight's game, and also works his magic during his time on the penalty kill.

The big line is once again intact, with Bobby on that line alongside Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. They come up with a great goal, contributions from all five players on the shift culminating in a deflected puck off Bobby's stick made ready in the slot.

The Wings spoil Hiller's shutout bid with a power play goal by Pavel Datsyuk, who had been denied earlier by Hiller's high glove. Ten seconds later, the period ends. We're 3-1 going into the second intermission.


Glove save by Howard

The third intermission doesn't see any additional goals by either team, but yours truly was a bit dissatisfied with our boys and their apparent decision to simply hold a lead. I felt like there was way too much play in our defensive zone. Hiller was forced to come up big on a desperately firing Red Wings team, and thankfully he was able to deliver. Perhaps our boys were conserving their energy for tomorrow's contest against the Los Angeles Kings.

Yes, that has to be it.

Even though the Selanne/Koivu/Blake line didn't get any points this game, I do like the dynamic I'm seeing on the ice between those three. Should prove very interesting as they spend more time on the ice with each other.

Either way, it's a Ducks win and given how tight the Western Conference standings are, we'll take those two points! Nothing caps off a great night spent with friends at the rink than a regulation win against the Detroit Red Wings.

Ducks in Florida, vs Panthers

Cruelly, this game isn't being televised anywhere so... there will be no way to check out new acquisition Jason Blake until our hometown heroes come home.

Yours truly is stuck at work, unable to risk even the radio feed. What I do know, Ryan Getzlaf has scored and Teemu Selanne (face encased in a jaw cage) has come right back out onto the ice and scored a power play goal.

Honestly, can nothing stop our phenomenal Finnish Flash??

My understanding is that Jonas Hiller is doing wonderfully between the pipes, and the Panthers have yet to get one behind him.

To make room for Selanne and Blake, youngsters Matt Belesky and Dan Sexton have been sent back down. I hope this doesn't disrupt our currently-hot offensive lines.

Apparently, it won't! At least not tonight. Corey Perry gets a goal before the third period winds down. And Hiller lands another shutout, the first under his new contract extension, 3-0.

Yours truly is feeling bittersweet as our boys finish their road trip. Yes, they're down a veteran goaltender and good friend, but they're also up on hope and faith and a true shot at making the playoffs with a remarkable goaltender secured.