2010 NHL Entry Draft

The NHL Entry Draft isn't something that comes to town every year, especially not to us Southern Californian markets. So, despite an 8-hour work shift at the job that actually pays the bills, yours truly made the 1.5-hour drive (including traffic) up to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Outside the front entrance to the Staples Center, local radio stations, local minor leagues, and the LA Kings media had set up stands to welcome hockey fans and curious passersby to the festivities.


LA Live, decked out in hockey decor

Once inside the arena, vendors dotted the outer concourse. All of the NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup, were on display. As is always the case at Staples, lots of Kings-clad fans walked the grounds; but also in attendance, a fair share of Anaheim Ducks fans and a modest showing of fans representing the other 28 franchises.

Yours truly was excited just to see so much hockey in one place! (Yes, it's going to be a long summer)


NHL hardware


Lord Stanley, we meet again!


The view from the 300 level


The main stage, where new draftees received hats, jerseys, and handshakes from their new franchises


TV coverage for everyone watching at home



I will admit, the only reason I found the Ducks table was by spotting the one and only Scott Niedermayer sitting at the upper right corner. Scotty would hand the Ducks' 12th and 29th picks their new Ducks jerseys.


Scotty watching the jumbotron



Surprised that he was still available by the time the 12th pick came around, the Ducks took 6'1" 190lb defenseman Cam Fowler. He's a left-shooting defenseman from the Windsor Spitfires, said to be a good puck-handler and puck-possessor who sees the ice well and controls the tempo of the game. He's compared to Tomas Kaberle and Jack Johnson.


Ducks take defenseman Cam Fowler for their 1st pick, 12th overall


For their 2nd pick in the first round, Ducks take Emerson Etem, 29th overall

A speedy right winger who shoots left, Emerson Etem is a local hockey boy from Long Beach, CA with lots of promise. He mirrors himself after Marian Gaborik and has been likened to Glenn Anderson and Joffrey Lupul.

The second day of the draft saw far fewer fans in attendance. Six more rounds landed the Ducks six more draft picks: right winger Devante Smith-Pelly, right winger Chris Wagner (Toronto's 122nd pick in exchange for Mike Brown), defenseman Tim Heed, center Andreas Dahlstrom, defenseman Kevin Lind, and right winger Brett Perlini.


Ex-Ducks GM Brian Burke, possibly discussing his trade involving Ducks forward Mike Brown

Overall, I think the Ducks did well with their draft picks. I will be very sorry to see Mike Brown go; he consistently played with heart and determination, always bringing 110% to the ice. Hopefully he'll see a lot more ice time with the Leafs.

The next items of business for GM Bob Murray should be securing Saku Koivu and Bobby Ryan.

Oh Captain, my Captain

Only two franchises in the NHL can say they've had Scott Niedermayer on their roster: the New Jersey Devils, who drafted Scotty at the beginning of his 18-year NHL career, and the Anaheim Ducks, who would be the last to have Scotty skate on its home ice.

You don't have to be a Ducks fan or a Devils fan to appreciate what Scott Niedermayer has accomplished, and what he has meant for the sport of hockey. The man continues to be the most decorated athlete in the sport, honored with four Stanley Cups, two Olympic Gold Medals, World Cup, World Championship, Memorial Cup, and World Junior title. He did it all with the quiet professionalism Ducks fans, including yours truly, had come to know and love.

He has done more for the franchise than anyone could hope to recognize, and his influence will live on in the careers of every young rookie Scott Niedermayer exchanged words or glances with in the locker room. As hockey fans, we are so lucky to have seen this phenomenal athlete in action on a regular basis.

And even though the Duck faithful will be eager to fill the seats of the Ponda once again with the start of the 2010-11 season this autumn, it won't ever be quite the same without number 27 on the ice.

Thank you for everything you've done, Scotty, we'll miss you.

Ducks vs Colorado Avalanche

It's the first game since the Olympic break, and our Ducks team isn't exactly whole. Thanks to trades made up through today's deadline, the roster is a bit lighter:

- Big man Evgeny Artyukhin was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for defenseman Nathan Oystrick and a conditional selection.

- Veteran defenseman Nick Boynton was sent to the Chicago Blackhawks for considerations.

- Goaltender Justin Pogge and a fourth rounder from either 2010 or 2011 were sent to the Carolina Hurricanes for veteran defenseman Aaron Ward.

- An even goalie exchange, Ducks sent Vesa Toskala to Calgary for Curtis McElhinney.

- For a 2011 7th-round pick, Ducks picked up goaltender Joey MacDonald from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

- Olympic silver medalist and defenseman Ryan Whitney plus a 2010 6th-round pick were traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for high-scoring defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky.

- Grinding forward, and one of yours truly's personal favorites, Petteri Nokelainen was sent to the Phoenix Coyotes for a 6th-round 2010 pick.

Our defense consisted of only five guys, as Lubo and Ward won't get into town until tomorrow. In either case, yours truly is excited about the trades. As sad as I am to see some of our boys go, I think the changes are mostly positive. It will be interesting to see how the new guys do.

Tonight's contest against the Avalanche started with a special Olympic tribute to the players with both clubs who participated. I thought it a very classy gesture for the audience to give the Avs Olympians a rousing ovation before our own boys were honored.


Ducks Olympians given a special pre-game tribute


Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne, bronze medal winners

The Olympic medals and jerseys were also on display tonight behind section 212.


Seven medals for our Ducks, the most of any NHL team!

Play started off well for our hometown heroes. There was energy, aggressiveness, and lots of offensive zone puck possession in the first. Big kudos to Jason Blake who, I thought, really stepped up in this game. It was encouraging to see that second line, with Blake, Saku Koivu, and Teemu Selanne start to come together.

During a Ducks power play, a pass from Bobby to Blake on the side of the net segues into the veteran banging at the puck as it shot under Avs goaltender Craig Anderson. It squirts into the net as Blake is steamrolled by an Avs defender.

Early in the second, Selanne gets his 598th career goal. From an offensive rush (that is actually grossly offsides) consisting of slick tic-tac-toe passing from Saku to Blake to Selanne for a nice open-net pitch. I swear, Teemu is much more his high-producing self without that face grill on! (this is his first game back without the extra headgear)

Ducks extend their lead to 2-0.


Jonas Hiller, turning in a good game for the first half...

At this point, the Avs began their proverbial goal avalanche. Ducks defense all but disintegrated, and a litany of turnovers don't help. Jonas Hiller seemed a bit off too in the second half of the game. Numerous power play opportunities prove unfruitful. The offense tries repeatedly to score, Bobby gets robbed at least three times, and yours truly isn't the only one in attendance feeling the frustration.

Not to say the lack of production is entirely Anaheim's fault, goaltender Anderson is definitely standing on his head and coming up big tonight.


With amazing saves and acrobatics by Craig Anderson, the game's first star was well-deserved

The Avalanche would see four goals go up on the board before the Ducks would manage to net a third. And even that one did not come until the last four minutes of regulation, when Captain Scotty Niedermayer sends a puck into the crease and it bounces off an Av skate, through Anderson five-hole, and into the net.

Unfortunately, that goal isn't followed by an equalizer, and the Ducks would see their 12-game home streak snapped as they fall to the Avs, 3-4.

Yours truly will be reporting the next game from Phoenix, Arizona, with (hopefully) special Ducks and Coyotes coverage. That's a lot of hockey!

Team USA vs Team Canada for gold

They couldn't have written this story any better if they'd tried.

It was the perfect matchup. Team USA, underdogs written off early in the tournament because they were too young. They had only three guys on the roster who had been in the Olympics before. Sure, they were NHLers, but most of them were under 25 years of age. What did they know about Olympic hockey?

Against Team Canada, the host team, the fathers of hockey. A roster packed with talent, NHL captains, winners of Olympics past. Not to mention, this was a team that had been completely embarrassed in their loss to Team USA during the preliminaries. They were angry, seeking revenge, hungry for the young Americans.

Yours truly was sadly at work during this game, but my phone buzzed constantly with texts from hockey friends and non-hockey friends alike. Even people not ordinarily fans of the sport during the NHL season had fallen in love with the hopes and dreams of these Olympic players.

They wanted to know how this one would turn out.

I was able to watch a good portion of the game with divided attention as I worked. The forechecking and backchecking pressure of the Americans was evident. The hunger and physicality of the Canadians was relentless. Each of these boys played the game of his life, and delivered some of the finest hockey I've ever seen.

Corey Perry would net one goal out of four SOG in this monumental game. Ryan Getzlaf would take an assist.

Despite falling behind for the first time in their Olympic run, the Americans didn't fall apart. They kept their focus, kept their composure, and kept coming. They closed the gap to one goal, and then a miracle.

With less than 30 seconds left in regulation, Zach Parise would deliver a simple strike in the crease that left a puck in the net behind Roberto Luongo.

Yours truly couldn't help but scream. My phone erupted in delight as well. The Americans had pushed the game into overtime! The gold would take more than 60 minutes to be won. How could anyone deny the drive and heart of Team USA?

Seven minutes of sudden death overtime would finally award the gold medal to Team Canada.

I can never stand to see the dejected faces of the losing team, and especially not when they're MY team. Sure, I was elated for our Canadian Ducks, but Team USA represented my country. I watched the medal ceremony with mixed emotions. Not being able to be completely happy for the beaming faces of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Captain Scott Niedermayer, I was distracted by the misery of the loss etched onto the faces of my boy Bobby Ryan, Captain Jamie Langenbrunner, and especially MVP Ryan Miller.

To them, I want to say that I am so very proud of their effort. Nobody, hockey experts and casualists alike, would have ever guessed that Team USA would compete for gold, that these young boys would slaughter Team Finland in a 6-1 landslide, that they would completely humiliate these very Canadians with a 5-3 trouncing. Team USA has absolutely nothing to be sorry for. They went above and beyond all expectations. They captured the hearts of a nation and the attention of the world.

What you've done for the sport of hockey, is beyond words. There will be so many new fans watching as you return to your respective NHL teams to complete your season. And for all of us old fans, including yours truly, you gave us the opportunity time and time again to say, "This, this is why I LOVE hockey!"

Celebratory congratulations to Getzy, Pears, Scotty, and Team Canada! But heartfelt thank yous to Bobby, Ryan Whitney, and Team USA! Along with the pride felt for the valiant efforts of Jonas Hiller and Luca Sbisa with Team Switzerland, and Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu with Team Finland, I am so very proud of all of our Olympic Ducks.

Seven Ducks will return home with Olympic medals, that's the most of any NHL team (San Jose comes in second with five). There's no way a team with such talented individuals can't put together a successful playoff run.

So how about it, boys? Let's go get Stanley!

Super-rink Sunday

Forget the Superbowl, today is hockey's day.

There were three big games today, but I'll focus on the last two because those feature Duck players. Yes, I'm biased, but it's my blog and I can do whatever I want.

Yours truly attended a watch party for the big Team USA vs Team Canada game this afternoon. The location was my favorite local sports bar, Oggi's in Tustin. The atmosphere was pure electricity, as tons of hockey fans came out to cheer on their country of choice.

With Ducks on both Team USA and Team Canada, it felt a little like a win-win situation for yours truly. However, I'm known to be a sucker for underdogs (heck, I'm a Phoenix Coyotes fan for crying out loud), and my boy Bobby Ryan make the decision easy. Team USA all the way, baby.

In between the pipes, Team USA would stay with Ryan Miller. For Team Canada, Martin Brodeur would get the nod.

The game started off wonderfully with an early goal for Team USA courtesy Brian Rafalski. Further energized, Team USA went on to have a great first period. They played with confidence and speed, and the forecheck was incredibly effective. Team Canada could not even set up in the offensive zone.

Team Canada did get on the board before the first half of the period expired, with a goal by Eric Staal. But it was answered less than a minute later by a second goal from Rafalski.

Unbelievable game for Rafalski.

The holes in the defense had been addressed, it seemed, and they weren't as glaring in Team USA's game tonight. The defensemen were better distributed along the blue line, turnovers were better controlled, and I think Canada only got away with one odd-man rush the entire game.

The second period, for Team USA, looked a little more like a typical Anaheim Ducks' second period. The boys looked a bit slow, a bit caught back on their heels. Dany Heatley would take advantage and score for Canada, tying the game up 2-2.

Before the end of the period, a pinball play in front of Brodeur's crease would land a third goal for Team USA. Credit to Chris Drury, assists to David Backes and Bobby Ryan. Again, Team USA would take a one-goal lead into the locker room for the intermission.

A series of penalties for Team Canada drove the momentum back in Team USA's favor for the third period. The forecheck reappeared, some of the extra kick returned to Team USA's step. On the last USA power play, Captain Jamie Langenbrunner would give the US a 2-goal lead for the first time in the game.

And then Team USA would take two penalities of its own, allowing a goal in the last five seconds. Sidney Crosby, pulling the game once again down to one goal. It became a veritable shooting gallery around Ryan Miller, with a desparate Canadian team taking every possible shot.

With about a minute left in regulation, Brodeur was pulled for the extra attacker. Zach Parise and Ryan Kesler danced with the puck near the blue line. Kesler took off down the ice, as did his defender Corey Perry. Parise's shot sped past them. When it looked as if Perry had effectively kept Kesler away, the fallen American swung his stick, connected with the puck, and sent it into the far corner of the net.

Empty net goal! And in that moment, Team USA realized what it had done. Kesler was tackled by Parise, Langenbrunner, and Erik Johnson behind the Canada net. On the bench, guys were hugging and slapping each other on the back, smiles stretched wide across their young faces.

There were 45 seconds left in regulation, but Team Canada would fail to bring a tie. Team USA had done it, beating the favorite and creating a situation where either Team Canada or Team Russia would leave Vancouver empty handed.

Miller came up HUGE, especially in the last five of regulation. He would face 45 shots during this game, compared to Brodeur's 23.

A few Duck observations...

Bobby's ice time was considerably increased in this game, I'm happy to say. He played nearly 12 minutes, had two shots on goal and one assist.

Ryan Whitney got the least time on ice of any Team USA player, 5:22, and he was a -1.

This definitely wasn't Corey Perry's game. To add injury to insult, Perry collided at one point with Staal and, while crumpled on the ice, had Chris Pronger fall over them both. Perry left blood on the ice, but there would be no penalties as all of the players involved belonged to the same team! Not Canada's finest moment by far.

Both Perry and Ryan Getzlaf would fail to pen any goals or assists, but each served two penalty minutes and had one and three shots on goal, respectively.

Captain Canada, Scott Niedermayer, has played better games himself. I think Scotty showed some rare frustration, getting himself involved in post-whistle shoving scrums on more than one occasion. He had three shots on goal, was a -1, and saw 17 minutes of ice time (which, incidentally, is a lot less than Scotty is used to playing).

It was an incredible game, and the watch party atmosphere made it even more memorable for yours truly.

The game that followed could have also been a nail-biter. Team Finland and Team Sweden have had a very heated rivalry through many Olympics, including the gold medal game four years ago. Unfortunately, this game failed to meet most expectations.

I don't know what was wrong with Team Finland, but it seemed that nobody showed except for Tuomo Ruutu and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. He was able to stop the bleeding on a 0-3 meltdown by his countrymen, but with no effective attacks on net, Kipper couldn't exactly do anything about the bagel on the scoreboard.

With the preliminary rounds finished, the top four seeds go to USA, Sweden, Russia, and Finland (qualifying round). These four teams don't have to play in Tuesday's elimination rounds as they go straight through to the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The remaining eight teams will play Tuesday, with the top seed playing the bottommost seed, 2nd top playing the 2nd from bottom, etc.

- Czech vs Latvia
- Canada vs Germany
- Slovakia vs Norway
- Switzerland vs Belarus

The winners in these elimination rounds will go on to play the top four seeds on Wednesday. Yours truly will be posting the rest of the men's hockey schedule tomorrow.

Wins, Finns, and journalism spins

The Team USA vs Team Switzerland match got men's ice hockey off to a good start, and the excitement would continue with the very next game.

Team Canada, with Ryan Getzlaf on the roster, took on Team Norway later that afternoon. Team Canada's roster looks like a veritable hockey all-stars team, what with Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Captain Scott Niedermayer from the Anaheim Ducks, and league-known superstars like Sidney Crosby, Jerome Iginla, Dany Heatley, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Chris Pronger, and Jonathan Toews.

Vancouver Canucks' Roberto Luongo started in net for the Canadians, and got himself a shutout, 8-0. The game started off slowly, going scoreless into the first intermission, but play quickly picked up as players got comfortable.

Our three Ducks would come away with one point each, Getzy and Pears got goals, and Scotty an assist.

This morning, Team Finland took on Team Belarus. More points for our Ducks, Captain Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne would both get assists in this 5-1 win. Teemu is a bit of a legend in Olympic circles, holding 20 goals and 36 points in five Olympic appearances. He's now tied for the leading Olympic record for the most career points. Five more Olympic goals will tie him for the most career goals in the modern era (since the 1956 Olympics).

Can the Finnish Flash do it? Yours truly would say, if a broken hand and broken jaw can't keep him out of the Olympics, it's very possible he'll go on to tie that record.

Switching opponents, Team USA will take on Team Norway tomorrow. And Team Canada will face Jonas Hiller and Team Switzerland. The big game between USA and Canada will take place this Sunday, along with Team Finland versus rival Team Sweden.

A few of our Ducks have taken pen in hand to blog about their Olympic experiences. Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney's blog can be found on the OC Register webpage, and netminder Jonas Hiller's blog can be found on the Ducks homepage.

Ducks at St. Louis, vs Blues

Our Ducks begin the Eastern portion of their road trip in St. Louis tonight, facing fellow Western Conference bottom feeders, the Blues. Being a cellar dweller isn't saying much in the West, as the teams are so tightly packed that any time can spend time in the cellar with just one or two ill-timed losses.

With that said, our Ducks really need two points here.

The first period has both teams playing rather equally, the Ducks with a number of scoring opportunities but can't capitalize. The Blues can't either, and both Hiller and Mason hold strong.

The first intermission sees a pair of bagels on the scoreboard.

The second period consists of a littany of goal attempts, posts, pipes, and big saves by Chris Mason, but no goals on the scoreboard for our hometown heroes. Yours truly is considering changing the channel.

It isn't as if the Ducks are playing badly. They just can't seem to buy a goal tonight.

Unfortunately, the Blues don't seem to have that problem. They go up two goals in the second and carry the two-goal lead into the second intermission.

At the beginning of the third, the Blues continue to make the Ducks offensive lines work hard. They put another goal up on the scoreboard in the process. Things are looking bleak until about five minutes in, when the Blues defense make a crucial mistake and leave a veritable open net in front of Scott Niedermayer. Corey Perry had run the puck all the way down the right wing, getting it to the Captain while the Blues defense parted before him.

Yours truly is hoping the goal will spark some confidence in our hometown heroes. Kudos to Steve Eminger for some amazing puck protection in front of the crease, helping out his goaltender.

Halfway through the period, Ducks strike again. Dan Sexton works hard to win a battle for the puck behind the Blues net. He scrambles to fire the puck in front of the blue paint, and my boy Bobby Ryan is there to quickly one-time it over Mason and into the top corner.

Ducks fans everywhere are elated as it has now become a one-goal game. Can our boys complete a stellar comeback??

Energized, Ducks spend more time in the Blues zone, increasing their shots on goal this period to twice that of the Blues. Mason comes up big to keep things under control, but he can't stop everything. And the zebras have all but swallowed their whistles. A number of infractions on both sides happen without stoppages in play.

With less than a minute left in regulation, Bobby catches a rebound right in front of the net. Ryan Getzlaf hammers the puck from the point. It bounces off Mason's mask and the netminder can't find it before Bobby has chipped it into the basket.

Suddenly, our boys have at least a point in what was looking like a lost cause only 20 minutes ago.

Sudden death overtime goes without any goals, so we're off to the shootout. Without Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, or Joffrey Lupul the starting three become Pears, Getzy, and Bobby.

Pears, using his traditional wide-angle approach, gets one behind Mason. Getzy too. The Blues answer the first three attempts with two of their own, forcing fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of shooters. We're seeing plenty of shootout first-timers, including Sexton, Matt Beleskey, and Evgeny Artyukhin. Turns continue until the seventh round, with a beautifully unstoppable shot by James Wisniewski.

I never would have taken Wiz for a shooter, but maybe he should be after tonight's performance?

Our Ducks steal, quite literally, two points from the St. Louis Blues, and get a huge boost of confidence for our hometown heroes on their daunting roadtrip.

Let's hope we'll have Koivu back for the team's next contest in Atlanta.

Olympic rosters announced

Even though our Anaheim Ducks are having a hard time climbing out of the Western Conference cellar, seven of them have been called upon to represent their respective countries in this February's Winter Olympics.

Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Captain Scott Niedermayer will be suiting up for Team Canada, Scotty will also captain that team.

For Team Finland, our very own Finnish Flash and Saku Koivu will pair up once again. It's my understanding that Saku will captain that team too.

Team Switzerland will be appropriately represented with Ducks' Jonas Hiller in net and defensive prospect Luca Sbisa.

And finally, our very own Bobby Ryan will be playing on Team USA.

That's seven Duck players on olympic rosters! I believe only the San Jose Sharks are sending more of their own, with eight.

Of those players chosen, Scotty, Getzy, Teemu, Saku, and Hiller were probably shoe-ins. Perry was a bubble player, but definitely tipped the scales in his favor after putting together some record-breaking streaks over the past few months. Yours truly also thinks it will be interesting to have someone that utilizes Perry's gritty style of play out on an olympic team. Look out goalies, Perry's butt is crashing a crease near you.

I'm glad Luca wasn't passed up. Even though he played just a few games up in the majors with our Ducks, I already saw enough to know the kid has a lot of potential. Having olympic experience will only help the boy. He will be amazing when he's called back up.

As for Bobby, I had a feeling my boy would get the call, but I didn't want to be too confident. He has tied for the leading goal-scorer on the Ducks roster, but also he's tied with the leading US-born goal-scorer in the league. Not to mention, USA GM Brian Burke knows and likes Bobby.

The best thing about all these Olympi-Ducks is the exposure they will get. I don't believe our Ducks get as much recognition as they should for the things they do. If we were an East Coast, or Canadian, team, things would be different. I would love to hear the average American, non-hockey fan say, "Oh, that Getzlaf guy is pretty good, doesn't he play for the Anaheim Ducks?"

Ducks at Denver, vs Avalanche

Yours truly was stuck at work for the majority of this game, listening to the radio feed. I'd forgotten to set the ole VCR, but hearing that there was no television feed for the first hour or so of the game, I suppose I didn't miss anything there!

The starting lineups were announced, Jonas Hiller in net versus surprise sensation Craig Anderson. Evgeny Artyukhin and Steve Eminger are healthy scratches again. I don't know about you, but I smell trade.

Listening to a radio feed at work isn't my favorite way to enjoy a Ducks' game. I'm not really listening, not really getting into the game. I can't completely focus on what my boys are doing, so I'm only reacting to major events like goals, fights, and penalties.

Oh well. The bills need to get paid.

In the opening period, the Avalanche got on the board first, and my heart sank as I heard the Denver goal horn blare. During the second, it sounded like our boys put puck after puck on Anderson, but the netminder was a complete wall blocking everything. This game would see the highest shots on goal by our hometown heroes to date this season... usually teams are sweetly rewarded for such efforts.

Luckily, the hockey gods noticed. Coming down to the last half of the third, and after the Avalanche went up another goal (2-0), the wheels suddenly fell off that Denver train. Turning the tide with a controversial goal from Captain Scotty Niedermayer, my boy Bobby Ryan got caught in the Avalanche goal crease with Anderson, arguably unable to get out of the way. It could have been a questionable goaltender interference call, but the zebras left their whistles alone.

Personally, and yes, call me a homer, but I believe even without Bobby in that crease, Anderson would not have been able to turn fast enough to block Scotty's bid on goal. He was following Ryan Getzlaf, who had sped up the middle and passed the puck to Corey Perry on the left wing before a quick feed to Niedermayer on the other side of the slot. And let's not forget the Avs defender who crashed the crease with Bobby. He would have been there, interfering with Anderson too.

Either way, it was a goal for Anaheim, and it paved the way to three more before the game ended.

The second goal (three minutes after the first) was a beauty of a play by our second line. Matt Belesky cycled the puck down low and got it behind the net to Saku Koivu. He came up from below the goal line, his Avalanche defender all over him, but does a nifty spin move to elude the defender long enough to pass that puck through the crease to Dan Sexton who had magically found open space. Sexton snapped the puck behind Anderson before the netminder had a chance to move his eyeballs.

I was able to watch the last period at home, and felt truly treated. It was as if my boys suddenly knew I was watching and decided to step up.

With that second goal, our boys tied things up 2-2. Suddenly, a point in an otherwise lost game seemed possible. And then, miracle of miracles, Getzlaf sinks another goal with less than 30 seconds left in regulation. Bobby battled for a puck in the corner and managed to get it to Perry behind the goal line. He pushed his way to the front of the crease but had the puck poked off his stick by Anderson. Over-extended, the goaltender couldn't get back into position when Getzy caught the puck milliseconds later, and lifted it over the downed netminder.

To rub salt in an already gaping wound, Todd Marchant would seal the win with an empty netter 11 seconds from the final horn.

And Duck fans would rejoice an amazing comeback that, for once, was on their side of the ice.

Ducks vs Carolina Hurricanes

"Please, please... don't let our Ducks be the first road win for the Candy 'Canes! Please don't let it be like the Leafs all over again!"

I'm sure I wasn't the only Duck fan thinking/praying our hometown heroes wouldn't slip up a win against fellow bottom feeder, the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes have been fighting against a number of injuries, and we should consider ourselves lucky to not have to deal with goaltender Cam Ward.


Manny Legace, the backup's backup, would start between the pipes for the Hurricanes. The man has an astounding 11-2-2 career record against the Ducks.

As the first period unfolds, our worst fears felt like they might actually be realized. Our boys were slow and sluggish, lacking any kind of assertive presence, and fumbling a number of turnovers in the neutral and defensive zone. Very bad. 'Canes score an early goal less than two minutes in, as the stomachs of Ducks fans everywhere drop.

Kudos to J.S. Giguere for showing up at this game while the rest of his mates continued their pre-game naps, at least through most of the first period.

The only saving grace was the fact that the 'Canes weren't exactly connecting their passes either, nor did they minimize their own turnovers. It was kinda like watching a game of peewee hockey, except without the adorable roly-poly goalies.

Yours truly is a bit irked that Kyle Calder always seems to find the penalty box at every game. What's the deal, Calder? Too good to sit with your mates on the bench and you'd rather sit by yourself in the box for a breather?

I believe the early goal was a good kick in the pants for our boys. They brought on the pressure and offensive presence for the tail end of the first and were literally all over Legace and the 'Canes crease. Ducks go into the first intermission 0-1, but looking determined to grab this one back.

Ducks keep it going into the second, and have a number of strong bids on goal. Credit to Legace for some great saves. Ducks continue to pour it on through the second with lots of aggressive play, grinding in the corners, and forechecking in the neutral zone.


Apparently, it was Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne's idea to get Evgeny Artyukhin on their line, and Arty sounds extremely appreciative to be there

The penalty kill is looking much stronger too. Having a spot-on defensive team in front of you automatically makes a goaltender look that much better. And in Jiggy's case, he's feeding off the energy of his mates to come up strong in between the pipes. You'd better believe it, as soon as Jonas Hiller is back out there and this team shows up to play in front of him, he'll be stellar too.

A high-sticking penalty on 'Canes Eric Staal sends our boys on a power play at the tail end of the second. Two 'Canes defenders chase Corey Perry to the corner, but he manages to get the puck out behind him to Selanne near the crease as he's run down. Selanne makes a neat pass to the Captain across the paint. He's undefended, and winds up for a one-timer, but whiffs and turns it into a knuckler that flips over Legace and flutters into the net.

Either way, it's a goal! Ducks take a tied game to the locker room for the second intermission. Perry also extends his career-high point streak to 16 games, one short of the franchise record.

Ducks apply more heat going into the third, both of our two scoring lines coming in waves. Keep throwing those pucks at the 'Canes' net, just a matter of time, right? At least it keeps some of the pressure off our defense, which could be looking a tad better tonight.


My boy Bobby Ryan gets robbed yet again by Legace

Finally, the tide turns with the tie-breaker off a simply beautiful goal by Petteri Nokeleinen. It's initially a chippy play, as Nokie gets pushed off the puck near the boards. Kyle Calder manages to wrangle it near the back end of the circles and flip it blindly towards the wall. Nokie is magically there, after recovering from a big hit and acquiring the inside position on his 'Canes defender. He chops at the puck and sends it into the net behind a stunned Legace.

That's Nokie's second for the season and Calder's first assist as a Duck. Okay Calder, maybe I forgive you for all the time you spend in the box. Maybe. In the excitement of their celebration, the boys topple into a heap of smiles on the ice.

With only a minute and a half left in the game, Ducks net an insurance goal. You could see this one unfolding from the Ducks defensive zone. Tuuk controls the puck for a split second as he's challenged at the defensive blue line. His linemates take off on a rush, as if in anticipation that Tuuk will somehow get them the puck. And he does, chipping it quickly off the glass. Saku is there when it lands, already in full stride. He knows Selanne must be somewhere near the crease, so he sends the puck towards the net and Selanne neatly tips it in.


Tuuk to Saku to Selanne, perfect second line production with goals and assist points all around

The nightmare last-minute opponent goal unfolds yet again, second game in a row, as the 'Canes manage to bounce a fluky goal into Jiggy's net with only 53 seconds left. Thank goodness for insurance goals. Ducks snuff out any other signs of life from the 'Canes to bring a win, and two points, 3-2.


The insurance goal would become the game-winner


Thanks guys, for not giving the Hurricanes their first road win

Ducks vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Walking through the Ponda parking lot before tonight's contest between the Ducks and the Lightning, I felt a different energy in the air. Something seemed off. Maybe it was the fact that it had been almost two weeks since we'd seen our boys here at home. Maybe it was the fact that our boys haven't seen a win since they left.

Actually, I think it was the ominous silence that engulfed the sparse hockey audience as they entered the Ponda. This didn't look or sound like nearly enough crowd one hour before puck drop.


Way too many empty seats at the Ponda for my liking

It was the sound of a hockey team needing to string a few wins together, needing to claw their way up from dead last in their conference. It was the sound of faith desperately needing renewal, and fans asking their team to come through.


"One game, one win, your whole perspective can change and you move forward with confidence."--J.S. Giguere

Our hometown heroes started the game off with good speed and energy. The Lightning answered in similar fashion. There were some new jerseys on the ice. With Saku Koivu and Ryan Carter officially placed on the Injured Reserve, ex-King Kyle Calder played alongside Joffrey Lupul and Teemu Selanne, and MacGregor Sharp saw his first NHL ice on the energy line with Mike Brown and George Parros.

Yours truly didn't note any remarkable play involving the new line additions, and is still feeling the loss of Saku and Carts. Neither guy puts up huge points on the scoreboard, but they do those little things that help energize other guys to get points. We need them back!

First goal of the game went to Anaheim, right as a power play expired. A pressured Corey Perry sends the puck up along the left wing to Ryan Getzlaf who, seeing a relatively open Teemu Selanne across the slot, quickly passes it between the feet of a defender and Teemu converts it past Lightning netminder Mike Smith.


That assist will extend Perry's point streak to a league-high 13 games

Minutes after the first goal, James Wisniewski would take a slap shot off the top of the foot. Hobbling back to the Ducks' bench, fans watched Wiz as he grimaced and writhed in pain. Wiz never did return to the ice, but luckily, the foot isn't broken.

Ducks would take a 2-0 lead to the locker room after the first period. The same pieces would be in play for the second goal. Perry, once again sending the puck up along the left wing, this time to Teemu who lifts it through the slot in a beautiful aerial pass to Getzlaf in front of the crease. Getzy pops that puck deftly over Smith's left leg pad.

Wiz's absence requires our remaining defensemen to take up some extra minutes. One guy really stood out tonight. Nick Boynton proved himself very useful, especially on the penalty kill. Nicky pushed Lightning forwards to the perimeter, stripped pucks away and into the corners, and blocked a number of shots. I'm really liking him paired up with the Captain as well.


Nick Boynton, becoming an asset


Trying to change the momentum of the game, Zenon Kenopka picks a fight with Mike Brown

Another moment of breathholding sent our boys on a 4-minute power play. My boy Bobby Ryan would take a high stick to the right eye, leaving enough blood to warrant the double minor. Unable to capitalize on the first power play, Bobby himself would make good on the second, catching a pass from Lupul. Going one on one with Smith, Bobby lifts it short-side. Ducks are looking at a nice 3-0 lead.

Shortly thereafter, I'm not sure what happened, but Jonas Hiller disappeared to the bathroom or something and didn't tell anyone. A minute later, the scoreboard read 3-2, and Steve Stamkos would net himself the highlight reel goal of the night by batting in his own rebound from his back as he careened past the crease.

Luckily, Hiller returns and continues an otherwise spotless display of stellar netminding.

Unlike games past, our boys did a good job at trying to keep the penalties to a minimum. Didn't see quite as many dumb penalties. There was, however, a considerable lack of energy from our boys during the third period. Why they can't show up for a full 60 minutes is beyond me. The Lightning would tie things up and force the game into overtime.

Luckily, the nailbiting would continue for only about a minute more, thanks to an ill-timed cross-checking penalty against the Lightning. Known to excel in short-man scenarios, Scotty Niedermayer would come up big in this 4-against-3, slapping in the game winner from the blue line and giving his team two much needed points.

Additional nods to Bobby for generating a number of penalties from the Lightning; Brendan Mikkleson for playing with more confidence than I've seen him thus far; and Petteri Nokeleinen for some excellent rushes and shots on goal.


Ducks celebrate a much-needed win

Good job, boys. Enjoy your win and get ready to do it again this Saturday, against your old friends, the San Jose Sharks.

Duckie in the Big Apple

As mentioned in the previous entry, yours truly spent a few days in New York, specifically Manhattan. While I was away, our Ducks played home games against the Dallas Stars on the 21st and the Columbus Blue Jackets on the 24th. Both games were losses, 2-4 and 4-6 respectively, but I'll comment positively that we weren't shut out.

Notables on the Dallas game, which I was able to watch after the fact:

Ryan Getzlaf's first goal this season was a fancy display of deft puck handling, with a quick shot between Marty Turco's arm and blocker. Getzy wasn't the only one happy to see him finally get one up on that scoreboard.

James Wisniewski returned after a shoulder injury. Thank god Wiz is back on the ice. We can't afford to be down any defensemen this season, more or less one as pivotal as Wiz. He was looking good too, completing hits and sweeping pucks out of the slot.

Jonas Hiller (and J.S. Giguere) need to stay within their paint. Something discouraging that was pointed out to me by one of my more goalie-oriented Duck pals, our netminders are handling the puck a lot more this season... and the effects haven't been favorable. Our goalies are getting caught repeatedly on the wrong side of the net, gift-wrapping soft goals for the opponent. I don't know if it's an ill-effect of a Pete Peeters lesson or what, but it needs to stop. When he was actually in his crease, Hiller did a great job with the saves.

My boy Bobby Ryan trading places with Joffrey Lupul. Not a fan of coach Randy Carlyle's constant switching up of the lines, I do like the new line combinations of Perry-Getzlaf-Lupul and Selanne-Koivu-Ryan. Ducks' second goal came off a pinball pass from Perry to Lupul in the slot. One can only hope Carlyle will keep these boys on these lines long enough to actually gel a bit.

It didn't look like a bad game, honestly. Our boys still lack that confidence that allows them to be the aggressors on the ice, but I thought they did a good job creating scoring chances for themselves.

The night after the Dallas game, Ducks Joffrey Lupul and Ryan Carter appeared at the Huntington Beach Inline for the first of the season's Rink tours. For coverage of the event, click here.

I wasn't able to watch the Blue Jacket game at all, but highlights included two goals from Lupul, one from Captain Scott Niedermayer, and one from Selanne. Jiggy was doing a good job between the pipes until a too-quick save aggravated his previous groin problem. Hiller took over for the remaining minutes. You'd think that, with four goals, you'd win the game. Not so when your opponent gets six.

While in Manhattan, I couldn't pass up a visit to the NHL Store. Conveniently located a few quick steps from the Rockefeller Plaza, I spent nearly two hours at this mecca of all things pro hockey.


Hockey goodness in the heart of the Big Apple


Yay, Ducks gear right in the front display


While there was limited representation of West Coast teams (as I had expected), pre-customized player jerseys were a steal should you find your favorite player in the racks


Home of the NHL Live radio show every weekday afternoon


The store also boasts the only NHL-themed Starbucks... which really came down to a wall with hockey-type paintings

If you're a hockey fan, no trip to Manhattan is complete without a visit to the NHL Store. Make sure you put aside an hour or two!

Anaheim Ducks in a Roll

What's one of my favorite things... besides Ducks hockey? Sushi! So when my Ducks Twitter pal Emily invited me as her guest to the Ducks first annual "Get Your Anaheim Ducks in a Roll" event, I was giddy with anticipation for days.

The event itself turned out to be better than either of us could have imagined. Of course, I brought Baby Rebel (pictures at all allowed events are a must) and also, for the fun of it, I brought my "Bobbyhead" (credit goes to Adam Brady) for coining the name.

Note: the lighting inside RA Sushi was elegantly beautiful to the eye, harshly cruel to the camera.


RA Sushi at Tustin's District

Not knowing anything beforehand about this event, the guests were brought up to speed by none other than John Ahlers.



Ducks James Wisniewski, Scott Niedermayer, Saku Koivu, and Mike Brown were on hand to roll their own sushi creations, with help from the RA Sushi chefs, of course. Samples of each Duck roll could be tasted, along with sake testers. If you wanted to purchase a roll or sake drink, you could and a portion of the money would be donated to the Anaheim Ducks Foundation charity. Also, each roll purchase would count as a "vote" for that particular roll.

There were also judges on hand to rate our boys' creations on various measures such as presentation, best name, creativity, taste, etc. At the end of the night, the votes would be tallied and the winning roll announced. That roll will be part of the menu at RA Sushi until November 6th, with a portion of the proceeds still going to the Ducks charity.

What a unique idea! Let's see some pictures...


Bobby would enjoy a "Zamboni" sake drink too, if he was tall enough...


Duck sushi rolls: "The Big Wisniewski" roll, "When You're Finnish, You'll Want More SAKU!" roll, "Great Scott" roll, and "Lucky #13" roll


Mike Brown, watching and learning




Saku Koivu: "This is so much fun! But you know, it's a lot harder than it looks."


Scott Niedermayer, calm and focused as always


Me: "So this is what you guys are doing during the offseason, eh?"
Wiz: "Oh heck yeah!"


Saku: "What is that stuff?"
Wiz: "Beats me, but it tastes awesome so I'm putting it in my roll!" (improvised by the blogger)




Wiz and Scotty proudly showing off their culinary creations


Mikey putting the finishing touches on his roll: "Pine nuts! That's where it's at!"


Me: "Saku! Will you and Scotty be in a picture for me?" He so wonderfully obliged... and I got the sushi chef too


Bobby gave all the rolls two thumbs, and a hockey stick, up


Why is Saku holding a spoon and a bottle of Sriracha?



All of the rolls were excellent, however I did end up voting for Scotty's "Great Scott" roll. Saku's roll was a close second for me, while Mikey's was a little too unique for my taste buds. After all of the votes were tallied, Wiz's "The Great Wisniewski" roll won and will be featured at RA Sushi for the next month.


Scotty, Bobby, and Emily

To top off an already amazing night, yours truly won the raffle for the team-signed Ducks jersey.



If you get a chance to attend this incredible event next year, I highly recommend you go!