January 2010 Archives
Ducks general Bob Murray said he wasn't sure that Jean-Sebastien Giguere was headed for Toronto until 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
That's how much of a whirlwind deal Sunday's blockbuster was -- mainly, according to Murray, because he was willing to trade his veteran goalie before Brian Burke was.
"I talked with (Toronto assistant) David Nonis and Burkie early in the year about this," Murray said. "They didn't feel it was the right time. All of a sudden, (Jonas) Hiller's signed and I've got (Nonis) saying he's interested in something. They had a much bigger deal going somewhere else (for Dion Phaneuf) and they wanted to tie everything together.
"It's a good fit for Toronto. I think that Jiggy's a perfect guy to be with The Monster (Jonas Gustavsson) and (goaltending consultant) Frankie Allaire. It's a good fit for them and a good fit for us. It came together all in the last 24 hours."
Continue reading Murray: 'It's a good fit for them and a good fit for us.'.
With Jason Blake en route from Toronto, the Ducks chose rookie sensation Dan Sexton as the odd man out of the Ducks' forward corps Sunday, assigning the right wing to Manitoba of the American Hockey League.
Goaltender Justin Pogge was recalled from AHL San Antonio but his stay could be a short one if Vesa Toskala is able to suit up for the Ducks tomorrow against the Florida Panthers.
Sexton appeared in 28 games for the Ducks, collecting nine goals and 18 points with 14 penalty minutes. The 22-year-old led all NHL rookies in goals and points, along with scoring on the road, since his recall from Manitoba on Dec. 4. He scored six goals and 11 points in the month of December, ranking second among league rookies in scoring and tied for second in goals. Sexton also posted a career-high three-game goal streak from Dec. 3-8, matching the longest by a rookie this season.
The Ducks have traded Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the most decorated goalie in franchise history, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Jason Blake and goaltender Vesa Toskala.
The writing was on the wall Saturday, when the Ducks tabbed Jonas Hiller as their goaltender of the future by extending his contract for four years. Giguere, who was set to become a free agent after the 2010-11 season, must waive his no-trade clause to approve any trade.** He was expected to do so to be reunited with goaltending consultant Francois Allaire and general manager Brian Burke in Toronto, which is also much closer to his native Montreal.
Toskala, 32, lost his starting job to Jonas Gustafsson in Toronto, and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, when he is owed $4 million. Blake, 36, still has two years and $6 million remaining on his contract after this season, with a cap hit of $4 million each year.
Toskala has appeared in 260 career games with Toronto and San Jose, going 127-82-25 with 13 shutouts, a 2.77 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.
Blake peaked as a member of the New York Islanders in 2006-07, when he scored a career-high 40 goals. In an 11-year career that began with the Kings in 1998, Blake has 184 goals and 427 assists in 724 games.
**Update: The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the teams Giguere previously indicated to Bob Murray that he would be willing to accept a trade to. Presumably, the trade was a done deal as soon as Bob Murray and Brian Burke had decided upon the specifics.
Continue reading Giguere traded to Toronto..
The Ducks have identified their goalie of the future, signing Jonas Hiller to a four-year, $18 million extension announced today. The 27-year-old will make $4.5 million in each year of the contract.
Continue reading Ducks extend Hiller's contract..
James Wisniewski scored his second shootout game-winner this week, after scoring the Ducks' lone goal in regulation, completing a hard-fought victory at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Wisniewski had never taken part in an NHL shootout before last Saturday, when he scored the clinching goal in sudden death in St. Louis.
On Friday after Corey Perry missed, and Ryan Getzlaf scored, head coach Randy Carlyle turned to the defenseman in the third shootout round -- and Wisniewski did not disappoint.
"The guy scored in the last one for us, so if it's not broken, don't fix it," Carlyle said. "He did it again, so we might have to stick with him."
Jonas Hiller allowed a goal to Steven Stamkos in the shootout, and to Martin St. Louis in the first period, but was otherwise perfect for the Ducks. He f
Continue reading Ducks 2, Tampa Bay 1. Updates with quotes..
Approximately 4,000 athletes representing 400 teams from 10 different countries are expected to invade Southern California for the Inline Hockey Junior Olympics, July 1-11.
Huntington Beach Inline will serve as headquarters, with one additional local facility (to be announced) hosting games at the tournament, which has never before been to the West Coast. In addition to this year's Junior Olympics, the Ducks have signed on to host future tournaments at their local affiliate rinks.
Of the 400 expected teams in 2010, more than 200 are based in California. The tournament features numerous age groups and divisions (8u, 10u, 12u, 14u, 16u, 18u, 21u, men's), and approximately 50 international teams from as far away as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany and France. Canada, Mexico and Colombia have also committed numerous teams.
For more information about the Inline Hockey Junior Olympics, visit aauhockey.org.
This and other interesting revelations in a new feature up on NHL.com about Hiller, who comes across in the story as the type of Swiss who could spend his retirement years tinkering with watches in a secluded repair shop somewhere in the Alps.
The storyline was different this time, but the result was a familiar one for the Ducks on this six-game road trip.
After allowing an early goal, Anaheim (24-23-7) resiliently battled the Washington Capitals (35-12-6) for 40 minutes, then ran out of gas in an up-and-down third period.
Washington scored a mere 36 seconds into the game when Alexander Ovechkin was inexplicably left alone in front of the net, and easily tapped in a rebound past Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was getting a rare start 24 hours after Jonas Hiller lost in Atlanta.
Having been introduced to the reigning league MVP, the Ducks' defense buckled down considerably on Ovechkin and the high-flying Capitals. When they didn't, Giguere was almost never out of position, sprinkling in several point-blank saves among the 34 he made through two periods.
The Ducks tied the game in the second period when Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth allowed a long rebound off a deep Sheldon Brookbank slapshot. The puck came to Dan Sexton in the left faceoff circle, and the Ducks rookie didn't miss a wide-open net at 11:23.
But Washington, which leads the NHL at 3.81 goals per game, made up for lost time by teeing off against Giguere in the third period.
Shaone Morrisonn angled a deep slapshot in off the skate of Steve Eminger at 1:15 for the go-ahead goal. Mike Knuble scored 56 seconds after, and Alexander Semin scored on a breakaway at 4:15, making it a three-goal game in a three-minute span.
Semin provided the final score with another goal, this time during a 5-on-3 shift, at 11:47.
The Capitals' eighth straight win is the team's longest in 26 years.
The Ducks fell to 1-3 on the road trip, which resumes in Tampa Bay on Friday. Giguere stopped 44 shots in his first start since Jan. 3.
Steve Eminger's second goal of the season was all the Ducks would get at Philips Center, where backup netminder Johan Hedberg was stellar in a 34-save victory.
Hedberg's effort allowed goals by Colby Armstrong in the second period, and Maxim Afinogenov in the third, to stand up. Jonas Hiller stopped 32 of 34 for the Ducks.
Corey Perry did most of the work on Eminger's goal, charging out from behind the Atlanta net and backhanding the puck on Hedberg from just outside the crease. Eminger skated in unchecked to get the last touch, angling it between the legs of Afinogenov and into the net.
Armstrong took advantage of a long rebound off the pads of Hiller, firing in the game's first goal from the slot at 4:32 of the second period. Randy Carlyle burned his timeout shortly thereafter, delivered a spirited speech on the bench, and moved Bobby Ryan up to the Ducks' top line. Perry scored with 2:02 left in the period.
But the Thrasher potted the go-ahead goal, skating 5-on-4 at 4:03 of the third period when a failed clearing attempt by the Ducks landed on Afinogeov's stick at the right point.
After a sluggish start, the Ducks (24-22-7) bounced back with a strong third period, in which they outshot Atlanta 15-6, including 5-1 in the final five minutes. Completing a night of bad breaks for Anaheim, Ryan Getzlaf hit the post with a wrist shot at the buzzer.
The Ducks are 1-2 to begin their season-long, six-game road trip, which continues tomorrow in Washington.
A story posted today at SBNation.com insinuated that the Ducks might not be without an American Hockey League affiliate much longer.
Entitled "AHL Shakeup Coming?", the story said that AHL Commissioner David Andrews has a couple possibilities on the horizon. One would see the Iowa Chops re-activated under new ownership, and renewing its affiliation with Anaheim. The Des Moines-based team failed to make payments owed the Ducks and then was booted from the league, after its owners encountered financial difficulties.
Andrews also told SBNation that the Texas Stars are only temporarily associated with the Dallas Stars and, if the affiliation isn't made permanent, the league will not exempt the franchise and it may cease operations.
Check out a new feature in the Prince Albert Herald on Ducks defenseman prospect Stefan Warg, who recently brought his low-scoring, hard-hitting game to the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL.
Also, note the pronunciation of his name: It's pronounced "very," not, well, "warg."
You can thank James Wisniewski and some baby powder for this one.
The Ducks defenseman had never been called upon in a shootout before the seventh round rolled around Saturday in St. Louis, and he needed some assistance.
"Right before the shootout, I told Sluggo (equipment manager Doug Shearer) baby powder because baby powder makes the gloves slide," Wisniewski told reporters after the game.
"He looked at me like, 'C'mon, let's get real here.' The fifth or sixth round comes and I'm like 'Give me the baby power, you never know.' He gave me the baby powder, I put it on, Randy said 'Wiz, you're up.' I went in there and pulled one out of my treasure chest and it went in."
Wisniewski's forehand flurry beat Steve Mason to end the game and lift the Ducks to a comeback from a 3-0 third period deficit. The Ducks' six wins when trailing after two periods ties the Minnesota Wild for the most in the NHL.
A goal by Scott Niedermayer, and a pair by Bobby Ryan -- including the tying goal with 30 seconds left in regulation -- paved the Ducks' comeback after T.J. Oshie made it 3-0 at 3:35 of the third period.
Jonas Hiller needed only 18 saves for the victory, Anaheim's eighth in their last 10 games. The Ducks (24-21-7) are three points back of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, though the five teams ahead of them in the standings have a game in hand.
From www.mikevallely.com:
Anaheim Assistant City Attorney Patrick Ahle today informed the lawyer for professional skateboarder Mike Vallely that the city attorney's office has dropped all charges related to an incident at the Honda Center on November 19, 2009.
Continue reading Anaheim prosecutors drop charges against 'Mike V.'.
The Ducks played the San Jose Sharks as tough as anyone has recently -- and still lost to kick off their six-game road trip at HP Pavilion. Matt Beleskey scored the Ducks' lone goal, and Jonas Hiller stopped 22 of 24 in the loss.
Beleskey notched his fifth goal of the season at 1:15 of the third period to bring the Ducks within 2-1, taking a slick backhand pass from Kyle Chipchura and blasting a shot past Evgeni Nabokov in the slot. All of Beleskey's goals have come in the month of January, and his five goals this month lead NHL rookies.
But the Ducks could not convert a pair of late power plays, including a tripping penalty that put Joe Thornton in the box for two minutes with 3:10 left in the game. Hiller was pulled for an extra attacker late in the 5-on-4, giving the Ducks six men on the ice for nearly 90 seconds to end the game.
Though they were able to create shots, none fooled Nabokov, and longtime Duck killer Patrick Marleau sealed the Sharks' win by scoring into an empty net with 5.5 seconds left.
More details in tomorrow's editions.
Ducks prospect Timo Pielmeier was not the MVP of the ECHL All-Star Game on Wednesday.
But he could have been.
Playing the second period of the game for the National Conference, Pielmeier made 12 saves on 14 shots, and none were more spectacular than his heist of a shot by the Florida Everblades' Justin Donati at the 16:19 mark.
One of many breakaways in the game left Pielmeier out of position toward the right side of the net, when Donati caught the puck on the left doorstep and shot. Pielmeier's only recourse was to dive headlong to his right, extend his glove to his backhand side, and hope to snag the airborne shot before it crossed the goal line. Somehow, that's exactly what happened. Donati was left staring in amazement, mouth agape, and all he could do was give Pielmeier a congratulatory tap with his stick.
Continue reading Pielmeier steals the goals, spotlight at ECHL All-Star Game..
Ducks minor-leaguers Shawn Weller, Eric Regan and Timo Pielmeier will be suiting up for the National Conference, as will A.J. Perry, the younger brother of Ducks forward Corey Perry, in the ECHL All-Star Game tonight in Ontario.
Weller, Regan and Pielmeier all play for the Ducks' ECHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Perry plays for the Utah Grizzlies.
The Condors' captain, Weller leads the team and ranks ninth in the ECHL with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists). This is his first full season in the Ducks' organization, and his first full professional season below the AHL, since being acquired in an off-season trade with the Ottawa Senators for prospect Jason Bailey.
Weller was selected as a replacement for center MacGregor Sharp, who is currently playing for AHL San Antonio.
Regan is second among the Condors' defensemen with nine goals and 19 points, and his five power-play goals rank second among ECHL blueliners. The 21-year-old spent last season, his first as a pro, with the Ducks' former AHL affiliate, the Iowa Chops.
Pielmeier ranks 10th in the league with a 2.86 goals-against average and is tied for second with 16 wins. Acquired at last season's trade deadline from San Jose in the deal that sent Kent Huskins and Travis Moen to the Sharks, Pielmeier is playing his first full professional season.
Perry, who went undrafted after a standout OHL career split between the London Knights and Belleville Bulls, split last season between San Antonio and the CHL's Arizona Sundogs. He has 14 goals and 36 points in 33 games this season for the Grizzlies.
Also, in case you missed it, check out today's story featuring Troy Bodie's recollections of playing in the ECHL.
The Ducks set a record for the fastest four goals to start a game in franchise history -- then had to hang on for dear life after Ryan Miller replaced Patrick Lalime in goal for Buffalo.
Continue reading Ducks 5, Buffalo 4. .
Troy Bodie and Evgeny Artyukhin are a couple of 6-foot-4 heavyweights, standing on the far opposite end of the hockey spectrum of the slick-skating Finns Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu.
But with Selanne and Koivu injured, Artyukhin and Bodie filled the void in the Ducks' lineup on Sunday, scoring goals 32 seconds apart in the second period against the Calgary Flames.
Continue reading Bodie, Arty leave their marks..
Jonas Hiller was pulled from a start Thursday and was left hanging by his defense on Sunday. Which certainly explains his reaction following the Ducks' 5-4 win over the Calgary Flames: "We found a way to win. That's what's most important."
The Ducks nearly found a way to choke away the victory by allowing three breakaway goals, as the Flames erased a 3-1 first-period deficit to take a 4-3 lead. Breakaway goals are usually no problem for Hiller, at least in the shootout, where he is 8-4 with a .755 save percentage lifetime. (The average save percentage since the shootout was instituted is .670.)
But, Hiller explained, it's a little different stopping a breakaway attempt in the middle of a game.
Continue reading How Hiller got his groove back..
Undeterred by injuries and a 4-0 loss in their last outing, the Ducks treated 16,153 at Honda Center to two fights and three goals -- and that was just in the first period.
After letting the Calgary Flames re-take the lead with three unanswered goals, Anaheim got the game-tying and game-winning goals from Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan, respectively, in the third period.
Dan Sexton, Evgeny Artyukhin and Troy Bodie also scored, and Jonas Hiller recovered from a tough start in a 33-save effort.
Bodie's goal was the first of his NHL career, and Hiller also recorded the second assist of his NHL career on the goal by Artyukhin.
The Ducks are 6-1-0 in their past seven games and 8-3-1 in their past 12. Their seven-game home ice winning streak is the longest active home streak in the league, and three shy of the franchise record set in 2008.
Saku Koivu won the faceoff, but will lose the next 1-2 weeks of the season with a sprained knee.
That was the diagnosis given to the Ducks' center, who was among the team's hottest players at the time of his injury Thursday. Kings center Jarrett Stoll fell on top of Koivu at 11:38 of the second period; Koivu won the draw but immediately limped off to the Ducks' bench and did not return to the game.
Koivu has 10 goals and 29 points this season, but had two goals and six points in his last six games. While the injury shouldn't put Koivu's Olympic appearance for Team Finland in jeopardy, the same can't be said for Teemu Selanne, who underwent surgery Thursday to repair a broken jaw and is expected to miss 2 to 6 weeks.
The Ducks host the Calgary Flames at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Joffrey Lupul, who underwent surgery Dec. 17 to repair a herniated disc in his back, has developed an infection and is now out indefinitely. He was originally expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks, which projected to January 28-February 11.
A team spokesperson reports that Lupul is still expected to return to action this season. In 23 games to start the season, he had 10 goals and 23 points. His 10 goals are still tied for fifth on the team.
The puck had been bouncing in the Ducks' favor for five straight games, helping to prolong the longest active winning streak in the NHL.
Maybe the one bounce that cost them late in Wednesday's win over the Boston Bruins was merely a foreshadow of the fate that awaited them up the freeway Thursday.
On the same day the Ducks learned they would be without Teemu Selanne for the next 2 to 6 weeks, the Kings got all the bounces early in the second meeting between the two Southern California rivals.
More details to follow.
Passing along from a team spokesperson:
Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne underwent successful surgery today to repair two fractured bones in his jaw. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jeffrey Pulver at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange. Selanne's expected absence will be between 2 to 6 weeks. Selanne is currently on injured reserve.
Mike Vallely, the musician/skateboarder/former Ducks blogger, recently went on YouTube to express his opinions about the Nov. 19 incident at Honda Center. You remember, when Scott Niedermayer lifted a stick over the glass, intending to hand it to Vallelly's daughter, but when someone else grabbed it first a fight broke out in the stands? Here's the video:
Dan Sexton, Matt Beleskey, Ryan Getzlaf and Steve Eminger scored goals, and Jonas Hiller made 27 saves in both his and the Ducks' fifth straight win.
But the good news was tempered by another serious injury to Teemu Selanne, whose jaw got in the way of a Ryan Whitney shot in the third period and broke on impact. Selanne, playing just his third game after getting back from a broken hand, will be given a timetable after undergoing surgery to repair the fracture on Thursday, head coach Randy Carlyle said.
"It's a tough loss," Carlyle said. "The puck hit the bottom of somebody's stick (Miroslav Satan), went and hit the ice and then bounced back up and hit him. It's kind of one of those things that you very rarely would see. It's unfortunate for Teeme and unforunate for us. We finally started to get some bodies back in our lineup and get our lines setted."
Continue reading Ducks 4, Boston 3; Selanne breaks jaw..
In announcing his retirement Tuesday, Curtis Joseph took time to specifically thank David McNab, the top assistant to Ducks general manager Bob Murray. Why?
It's a good story. According to the Canadian Press:
David McNab was a big believer in the power of a baseball cap. He would send them to prospects whom he felt needed encouragement and, as a scout with the Hartford Whalers, he'd often take the extra step of writing personal letters as he did with one unheralded goaltender a little more than 20 years ago.
Curtis Joseph was playing amateur hockey in Saskatchewan at the time, and can remember running through the cold to the mailbox. In an era before the Internet, the promise of a free National Hockey League media guide was a big deal and the encouragement meant even more.
"In this business, sometimes there are really good players who maybe need to be reminded they're really good players - the guys who aren't drafted and things like that," said McNab, now senior vice-president of hockey operations with the Anaheim Ducks. "Sometimes, it's not the worst thing in the world to tell somebody, 'Geez, you really are good, and you really do have a great chance to play in the NHL."'
Since returning from a broken hand Teemu Selanne has played exactly 22:12, has scored twice (career goals number 594 and 595), and spread all this production out over two games, both of which resulted in wins for the Ducks.
Selanne appears to be easing himself back into the Ducks' lineup until he's 100 percent. If it was a secret to the media, that changed Tuesday when Selanne removed his left glove after practice to reveal a small mountain rising above his knuckles.
"The hand is not close to 100 percent but good enough to play," he said. "You have to start getting ready to play more and more minutes. If I can play as many minutes as I can it's going to be good, but you have to go one step at a time. The team is winning, playing very well right now, so that's all that really matters."
Continue reading Selanne easing into return..
Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller was awarded the NHL's "second star" of the week by the league. Hiller went 4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and.954 save percentage, helping the Ducks (20-19-7) close within six points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Hiller recorded 38 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings last Tuesday, stopped 20 shots in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and made 25 saves in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. He closed the week by stopping a season-high 42 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, a game in which the Ducks were outshot 43-12.
Hiller, who will represent Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver next month, has posted a 16-12-2 record with a 2.72 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and one shutout in 31 games this season.
The Ducks signed goaltender Marco Cousineau to a three-year entry-level contract. The 20-year-old, who participated in the Ducks' 2009 training camp, is has a 12-15-0 with a 3.17 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in the QMJHL.
Cousineau, a third-round pick in 2008, was acquired by the Saint John Sea Dogs on Dec. 30 and has appeared in three contests with the club since. Cousineau started the season with the Prince Edward Island Rocket.
Jonas Hiller, playing less than 24 hours after a victory in Nashville, "won the hockey game for us" in the words of Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle.
It was tough to argue with that assessment after Hiller turned aside 42 shots, including 34 over the final two periods, to preserve the Ducks' fourth straight victory. Hiller has started all four, allowing just six goals, to improve his season record to 15-12-3.
"I can definitely say it was one of my best games this year," he said. "We played pretty solid defensively. I saw most of the shots. We were cleaning the rebounds. It was a big effort from everybody."
Continue reading Ducks 3, Chicago 1. .
Ducks prospect Logan MacMillan has been sent home following a DUI arrest in Bakersfield, where is currently on injured reserve for the ECHL-affiliate Condors.
MacMillan, 20, was arrested by Bakersfield Police around 2 a.m. Monday morning in the 3600 block of California Avenue and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and and driving without a license.
"He has gone home for personal reasons," David McNab, vice president of hockey operations for the Ducks, said on Thursday. "That's our comment."
Ducks defensemen prospects Luca Sbisa and Stefan Warg were two of the many players who switched teams this weekend in advance of the Western Hockey League's trade deadline.
Sbisa was sent from the Lethbridge (Alta.) Hurricanes to the Portland (Ore.) Winterhawks. Portland, which is 26-16-2 and third place in its conference, ceded two players and a first-round pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft to Lethbridge, which is near the bottom of the league at 14-23-5, for Sbisa and a pair of draft picks.
Sbisa made the Ducks' roster out of training camp but was returned to Lethrbidge in October. While competing for the Swiss national team at the recent IIHF World Junior Championships, he suffered a hip flexor injury that will sideline him into February. Sbisa is expected to recover in time to represent Switzerland at the Vancouver Olympic Games.
Warg was dealt from the Seattle Thunderbirds to the Prince Albert (Sask.) Raiders for a defenseman and future draft pick. Prince Albert is 22-20-3; Seattle is 14-23-6. Bruno Campese, the Raiders' coach and GM, called Warg "a solid, reliable d-man who adds size and composure to our defensive corps."
Warg has 13 points, all assists, and 53 penalty minutes through 37 games with Seattle. A fifth-round pick in 2008, Ward also took part in the Ducks' most recent training camp.
Teemu Selanne rejoined the lineup and the Ducks skated away with their first road victory since Dec. 22.
Selanne, Matt Beleskey and Ryan Getzlaf scored goals, with Getzlaf's long wrister at 11:26 of the second period -- right after he gloved down an errant Preds pass along the glass -- proving to be the game-winner.
It was the third NHL goal for Beleskey, who remained at left wing with Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry. He's scored one in each of the last three games. Selanne shifted to a line with left wing Mike Brown and center Petteri Nokelainen, and was credited for tipping in a Nokelainen shot for the Ducks' first goal.
Patric Hornqvist and Martin Erat added goals in the third period, but Jonas Hiller hung on to make 25 saves.
The Ducks travel to Chicago for a 4 p.m. Sunday game.
More details in tomorrow's editions.
As the page turns on 2010, the Ducks have at last figured out the secret to success: Just play every game at home.
A come-from-behind win over the Blues on Thursday was the Ducks' fifth straight at Honda Center, and it gave them a jolt of confidence that they can only hope lasts into the weekend.
Rugged defenseman Barret Jackman scored his first two goals of the season to stake St. Louis to an early lead before the Ducks scored the game's final three goals over the final 12 minutes to grab a much-needed win.
"At times, it wasn't a pretty hockey game, but we found a way to win," head coach Randy Carlyle said. "That is the most encouraging thing for us because we found a way to lose these hockey games before. This time we found a way to win it."
Continue reading Ducks 4, St. Louis 2. .
Rookie forward Matt McCue has been re-assigned by the Ducks from the AHL's Manitoba Moose to ECHL affiliate Bakersfield. McCue, whom the Ducks signed out of the Western Hockey League in Dec. 2008, had one goal and 24 penalty minutes in 10 games in Manitoba, where he had limited playing time.
He'll get more of an opportunity in Bakersfield, typically more of a run-and-gun team that could use an enforcer -- which is what the 6-foot-5, 218-pounder projects to in the NHL.
"He's going to go to Bakersfield and get that chance to play regularly and learn his trade," Moose head coach Scott Arniel told the Winnipeg Sun. "And part of his trade is learning to fight. It's part of the element that he has to continue to get stronger at."
Meanwhile, the Condors transfered forward Logan MacMillan to 21-day injured reserve today. The former first-round draft pick reported back spasms and was placed on 7-day IR prior to Saturday, when he missed his first game of the ECHL season. MacMillan had two goals and six points in 30 games with Bakersfield.
Randy Carlyle told the Ducks' Web site that Teemu Selanne is likely to miss his 17th consecutive game tonight against the St. Louis Blues. Count on a top line of Matt Beleskey, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry; and a second line of Bobby Ryan, Saku Koivu and Dan Sexton.
Selanne fractured his hand Dec. 3 against Dallas.
If and when he returns, there is some question as to how Randy Carlyle will shuffle the Ducks' top six. Common logic dictates that Beleskey will likely return to a bottom-six role -- where he began after being recalled from the AHL -- but there is still an issue of where the wingers fit best around Getzlaf and Koivu, the centers.
"The issue is, does he go back where Sexton is, or does he go back where Bobby Ryan is, or does Bobby Ryan go back up (or do I) put Bobby Ryan in a different position with Teemu?" Carlyle pondered. "There's all kinds of different scenarios that can be created in your mind, but I think first and foremost, if we can put him in a situation where he can complement the players he's playing with because we know how special a player Teemu's been for this hockey club and we'll try to provide him with quality minutes where he can score goals. That's what he is."
Selanne fractured his hand Dec. 3 against Dallas.
If and when he returns, there is some question as to how Randy Carlyle will shuffle the Ducks' top six. Common logic dictates that Beleskey will likely return to a bottom-six role -- where he began after being recalled from the AHL -- but there is still an issue of where the wingers fit best around Getzlaf and Koivu, the centers.
"The issue is, does he go back where Sexton is, or does he go back where Bobby Ryan is, or does Bobby Ryan go back up (or do I) put Bobby Ryan in a different position with Teemu?" Carlyle pondered. "There's all kinds of different scenarios that can be created in your mind, but I think first and foremost, if we can put him in a situation where he can complement the players he's playing with because we know how special a player Teemu's been for this hockey club and we'll try to provide him with quality minutes where he can score goals. That's what he is."
Continue reading Selanne doubtful tonight. What about when he's ready?.
Randy Carlyle said following Wednesday's practice that Teemu Selanne was due to see a hand specialist later in the afternoon. If cleared, Selanne could play tomorrow against the St. Louis Blues.
Selanne has not played since fracturing his hand Dec. 3.
Ducks prospects Kyle Palmieri (first round, 2009 Entry Draft) and Jake Gardiner (first round, 2008) had cause to celebrate Tuesday, when Team USA upset tournament host Canada, 6-5 in overtime at the IIHF World Junior Championships in Saskatoon.
Palmieri had one assist Tuesday to bring his seven-game tournament total to eight, second on his team and third among all players at the WJCs. His nine points were third on Team USA, and his plus-8 rating tied for second. Gardiner led the team with a plus-9 rating, and finished with three assists in seven games.
Brandon McMillan, a third-round pick by the Ducks in 2008, found himself on the losing end Tuesday. He finished the tournament with four goals and eight points for Team Canada, including two power-play goals.
Ryan Getzlaf breathed new life into the Ducks, Saku Koivu scored his 200th career goal and Matt Beleskey recorded his first at Honda Center.
Continue reading Ducks 4, Detroit 1..
He steals the puck in the neutral zone and scores a short-handed goal to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead over the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center.
Center MacGregor Sharp has been returned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League, clearing the way for Ryan Getzlaf to return to the ice tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Sharp did not appear in a game during his latest NHL stint.
Center Ryan Getzlaf has been placed on injured reserve with a lacerated leg, retroactive to Dec. 26, when he sustained the injury in San Jose. Getzlaf hasn't played since and would still be eligible to return tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center.
The Ducks had to do all the little things -- and all the big things -- to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, owners of the Western Conference's best record, on the road Sunday.
After hanging on for 26 scoreless minutes, both areas of the game caught up with the Ducks.
"We had a couple opportunities on the power play," head coach Randy Carlyle said. "In games like this, that can make a world of difference. We had our fair share of chances. We had lots of 2-on-1s, we got scoring opportunities, but we hit posts or their goaltender made some big stops."
"We didn't do enough to force 'em. A couple 2-on-1s, we just skated right in. We didn't change the angle of the puck."
Petteri Nokelainen scored twice in less than two minutes of the third period to salvage a more respectable final score. But Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi was otherwise invincible against the Ducks, stopping 22 of 24.
Blackhawks forwards Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer scored on Jean-Sebastien Giguere (23 saves) to put Chicago up 2-0 going into the final period. Then Marian Hossa did the biggest damage early in the third, scoring at even strength at 1:14, and again on a power play at 3:41, to effectively put the game away.
"I thought we did come out and play sort of the type of game we have to play in here ... we were skating, we were making simple plays," Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said. "We had a couple chances; if those go in it's a different game. They capitalized on theirs and it started to pile on at the end. It's gone this way for us a fair number of times before this year."
Sheldon Brookbank and Evgeny Artyukhin collected the assists on both goals for the Ducks (16-19-7), who will try to shake a three-game losing streak against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday in Anaheim.
The Ducks have recalled center MacGregor Sharp from the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League.
Sharp, 24, has appeared in eight games for the Ducks this season, going scoreless with six shots on net. Originally recalled from ECHL affiliate Bakersfield on Nov. 18, Sharp made his NHL debut on Nov. 19 against Tampa Bay. He was reassigned to San Antonio on Dec. 5 and scored three goals and eight points in 12 games. In 14 games with the Condors, Sharp had four goals and 14 points in 15 games, and last week was named to the ECHL All-Star team.
Signed by Anaheim to a two-year entry-level contract on Mar. 31, 2009, Sharp finished tied for fourth in the nation in scoring with 26-24=50 points in 43 games with the University of Minnesota-Duluth last season.
Ducks defenseman prospect Luca Sbisa didn't play, but Switzerland still notched a major upset, 3-2 against Russia at the World Junior Championships today in Saskatoon.
Sbisa is nursing an injury that's been described alternately in reports as an abdominal injury or a hip flexor. According to Yahoo! Sports, he is out for the rest of the tournament, but is expected to represent his country in the Vancouver Olympics.
Meanwhile, Team USA defeated Finland 6-2 as Ducks draft pick Kyle Palmieri tallied his first goal of the tournament. The Americans need to beat Sweden on Sunday to advance to the gold-medal game, against either Switzerland or Canada.
Two Predators goals in the final 10 minutes doomed the Ducks, who played without Ryan Getzlaf for the third straight game, and lost their second in a row.
Mike Brown scored the lone goal for the Ducks at 7:45 of the first period, and Jonas Hiller stopped 33 of 35. But he was left to dry on the Preds' second goal, when Jason Arnott was given plenty of space to complete an odd-man rush at 10:11 of the third period, snapping a shot into the top of the net to make it 2-1.
The Ducks (16-18-7) also failed to gain ground on another Western Conference opponent, while falling further back of the final playoff spot. Thanks to a Kings win over the Washington Capitals earlier Saturday, the Ducks sit 12 points out of eighth place. They'll get another chance to make up ground Sunday, when they face the Central-leading Blackhawks in Chicago.
A scratch for most of December, Evgeny Artyukhin played his second consecutive game and picked up an assist. So did Petteri Nokelainen, as Anaheim's fourth line combined for its only goal.
Geztlaf is accompanying the Ducks on their current three-game road trip but hasn't played as he recovers from a lacerated leg.
Cool story over on NHL.com right now about Brian Burke struggling to invite players to be on the Olympic team. Apparently the cell reception in Fenway Park isn't ideal: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=511999
With all of Fenway Park watching, Ducks winger Bobby Ryan was named to the U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team today, after the conclusion of the Winter Classic.
Unless injuries hit the American blue line, Ryan won't be joined in Vancouver by Boston native Ryan Whitney or Canton, Mich. native James Wisniewski. Both were left off the roster by Team USA general manager Brian Burke.
More details and quotes in tomorrow's editions.
The complete roster:
Continue reading Team USA: Ryan in, Whitney, Wisniewski out..
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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