Seven tidbits from Wednesday's opener
1. Randy Carlyle chose Joffrey Lupul, Sheldon Brookbank and Bobby Ryan as alternate captains for the game. His reason? "Just some guys that have some experience and whatnot with our group. I don't think it's fair to give it to a first-year member of your organization, and we had lots of them in our lineup."
2. Brookbank proved himself as a reliable sixth/seventh defenseman last season after being acquired from New Jersey, but this year finds himself in a logjam for one of the final roster spots. It won't help that he had one of the worst games of anyone in a Ducks uniform Wednesday, lowlighted by a risky pass in his own end that led to the game-tying goal in the third period by Chad Kolarik. He also carelessly allowed a puck to leave the offensive zone near the blueline in the first period. It will be interesting to see how, or if, he can recover.
3. Carlyle said following the game that Erik Christensen's comeback from off-season shoulder surgery will take longer than expected. "(Because of) the depth of his operation, the timeframe has been extended ... I was anticipating that he would participate in some (preseason) games, and that's unlikely," Carlyle said.
4. The game featured two fights: Troy Bodie was pummeling Daniel Winnik with his left fist when linesman Don Henderson got between the two in the second period. In the third period, Brookbank was knocked to the ice from behind by Ryan Hollweg and took offense, turned, and went after Hollweg while the puck was still live in the defensive zone. Slight edge to Hollweg in that one.
5. In addition to winning his fight, Bodie had a solid offensive game. He nearly scored the game's first goal, on a one-timer that clanged off the goal frame and was waved off at 8:15 of the first period. Then in the second, he made a long precision pass to Evgeny Artyukhin from right to left, but Artyukhin couldn't handle the puck cleanly and missed an open chance on the doorstep.
6. Carlyle on Luca Sbisa's game: "I thought he was erratic in some situations, but he has some skills that are definitely very, very prominent. From a skating standpoint, and he can definitely move the puck out of his zone. I think there's some positional areas he has to correct, and try not to do too much."
7. Carlyle on Brian Salcido: "Brian Salcido is a top offensive defenseman in the American Hockey League, and I guess this is his fourth year pro now, so it's time to test the water a little bit deeper, and a little bit hotter, and see how he plays. We'd like to utilize a player to his strengths, and his strength is moving the puck and playing in offensive situations. I thought he did OK. I thought he did well."
About J.P.
J.P. Hoornstra has been covering the Anaheim Ducks since 2007. Eight months after the University of Wisconsin won its third NCAA hockey championship, he was born in a frigid Madison winter. He betrayed his blue-blooded beginnings by graduating from UCLA in 2003, and welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
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