February 2010 Archives

Sidney Crosby's goal 7:40 into overtime gave Canada a 3-2 win over the United States in the championship game of the Olympic men's hockey tournament.

After a Jonathan Toews goal gave Canada a 1-0 lead in the first period, Ducks forward Corey Perry put home the rebound of a Ryan Getzlaf shot at 7:13 of the second period to make it 2-0.

Roberto Luongo was fooled for the first time in the second period on a deflection by Ryan Kesler that squirted between his pads, and the 2-1 score held until the waning moments of the third period.

With Ryan Miller on the bench for an extra attacker, Zach Parise jammed home a rebound off Luongo's pads in the crease, tying the game with 24 seconds left in regulation.

Teemu Selanne's final Olympic Games will end with a bronze medal and the career scoring record.

All in all, not a bad way to go out.

Finland came back to score the final four goals - all in the third period - en route to a 5-3 win over the Slovaks Saturday in Vancouver.

Selanne, who finished the tournament with a record 38 points, was held scoreless along with Ducks linemate Saku Koivu.

Ryan Getzlaf's second-period power play goal certainly seemed like an inconsequential insurance marker at the time. Canada was comfortably ahead 2-0, Roberto Luongo might have been blogging in between shots, and before the crowd was asking for "U-S-A."

Then Slovakia decided to make it interesting, scoring twice in the game's final five minutes to set up a frenetic finish. But Getzlaf's goal held up, and Canada held on to set up a Sunday rematch with the United States.

Getzlaf's backhand swipe of a Corey Perry rebound was the only goal by a Duck on Friday. Perry and Chris Pronger picked up the assists. Getzlaf and Pronger also assisted on Brenden Morrow's first-period marker and Scott Niedermayer picked up the secondary assist on the game's first goal, a tip by Patrick Marleau at 13:30.

Ex-King Lubomir Visnovsky and current King Michal Handzus did all the scoring for Slovakia, which plays Finland for the bronze medal on Saturday night.

Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne won't be playing for gold.

Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney will be after a big win Friday over the Finns

Team USA sent a message by scoring all six of their goals in the game's first 12:46, chasing goalie Miikka Kiprusoff after the first four, and matching their most lopsided win of the tournament. Whitney and Ryan were held scoreless; Ryan sustained a head injury midway through the third period but remained on the bench and did not appear (on TV) to be bleeding.

Patrick Kane scored twice and Ryan Malone, Paul Stastny, Erik Johnson and Zach Parise scored goals for the U.S.

Selanne's decorated Olympic career will come to an end Saturday night against the loser of tonight's game between Canada and Slovakia. He and Koivu were held scoreless, their team's only goal coming off the stick of Antti Miettinen, after Tim Thomas had relieved U.S. starter Ryan Miller in goal.

For the Ducks, the benefits of having a wealth of players participating in the Olympics extend beyond organizational pride.

Anaheim's eight Olympians are considered non-roster players by the NHL until after their national team is eliminated in Vancouver. That means that goaltender Jonas Hiller, whose Swiss squad lost to the United States on Wednesday, became the first to officially re-join the Ducks - the league added him to the active roster at 2 p.m. today.

Ryan Getzlaf, Scott Niedermayer, Corey Perry, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney, meanwhile, are giving Randy Carlyle and Bob Murray some vacant roster spots to play with until they're gone from the Games.

On Thursday it was announced that Dan Sexton, Timo Pielmeier, Brendan Mikkelson and Brett Festerling had been recalled from the minors, and both Sexton and Pielmeier were among the 16 players in practice Thursday. Mikkelson and Festerling were still en route from Toronto, where they had been playing with the American Hockey League's Marlies.

"This is when the NHL-level team, the parent hockey club, has to be selfish," said Carlyle, who expected no additional recalls. "I've been on the other side of it and it's not a lot of fun when those things happen. But the reality of it is, we made a decision that's in the best interest of the Anaheim Ducks. They can come complement us in this time."

After freezing ticket prices for 2009-10, the Ducks announced that the average season ticket price will rise by 1.8 percent in 2011, with an additional facility fee increase of $.25-$.50 per ticket, for a total increase of 2.6 percent. Season tickets for the 2010-11 campaign will begin at $12.50 per game ($562.50 for the entire season, arena facility fee included). All tickets are subject to the facility fee, beginning at $1.75.

No word yet on how that compares to the rest of the NHL. This season, according to Team Marketing Report, the Ducks ranked as the ninth-cheapest season ticket in the league with an average cost of $43.50 compared to the NHL average of $51.27. The eight cheapest tickets:

22. Anaheim
23. San Jose
24. Colorado
25. Carolina
26. St. Louis
27. Phoenix
28. Buffalo
29. Tampa Bay
30. Dallas

The Ducks have recalled defensemen Brett Festerling and Brendan Mikkelson from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, right wing Dan Sexton from AHL Manitoba and goaltender Timo Pielmeier from ECHL affiliate Bakersfield. Sexton and Pielmeier took part in practice Thursday, the team's first since the Olympic break, while Festerling and Mikkelson were still en route from Toronto.

The Finns and Czechs seemed destined to go to overtime tied at 0 until Niklas Hagman scored on the flukiest of goals with 6:26 left in the third period.

Czech defenseman Pavel Kubina ventured behind his own net to retrieve his helmet, while Hagman simultaneously fired between the legs of Tomas Vokoun. After grabbing his helmet, Kubina looked up to see the puck in his own net.

Valtteri Filppula later scored into an empty net, sending the Suomi, including Ducks teammates Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, into the semifinals. They'll play the United States on Friday at noon.

In a matchup between arguably the most talented teams in Vancouver, Canada eliminated Russia from the Olympics in a surprisingly lopsided game.

Ducks forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, still alternating with Brenden Morrow and Eric Staal as their third linemate, had a big hand in the victory. Perry had two goals, including Canada's seventh, while Getzlaf had two assists and scored Canada' first goal.

They advance to the semifinals, where they will play either Sweden or Slovakia.

Jonas Hiller's Olympic run has come to an end, while Team USA rolls on.

Hiller made it perilously close, however, stopping 42 of 43 shots and not allowing a goal until Zach Parise deflected a Brian Rafalski shot at 2:08 of the third period. Parise added an empty-netter with 12 seconds left and Hiller on the bench.

The U.S. had two goals disallowed including this one, which Hiller tipped off his stick, off his shoulder and into the net - one-tenth of a second after time ran out on the second period.

Anaheim teammates Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney were held without a point; Ryan has a goal and an assist through four games of the tournament, while Whitney is scoreless.

Hiller might crop up at Ducks practice one of these days (they'll be at Anaheim Ice tomorrow at 11 a.m.), while the U.S. moves on to a semifinal matchup with either Finland or the Czech Republic on Friday.

With Roberto Luongo in goal, Canada aced its first elimination-game test and cruised into the quarterfinals, where Russia awaits at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow.

As for the Ducks involved, Ryan Geztlaf and Corey Perry had a better game Tuesday than they did Sunday against the United States - though that isn't saying much. Their third-linemate rotation continued, alternately featuring Rick Nash and Brenden Morrow, but no combination produced a goal.

The best sequence involving any Duck belonged Scott Niedermayer. The Canadian captain was able to outhustle the Germans to a loose puck in the third period, skating alone through the neutral zone then shooting under the pads of Thomas Greiss to make it 7-1 at the 11:22 mark. It was a loud blast of speed from a player criticized often lately for his declining skills.

Tomorrow could see some, but not all, of the Ducks' Olympians knocked out of the tournament: Swizterland's Jonas Hiller and Luca Sbisa are playing Team USA's Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney at noon. A rested Russian squad, meanwhile, is expected to give Canada all it can handle.

From the official team Web site:

The Anaheim Ducks Player Rink Tour will be stopping at Ontario Ice Skating Center and Riverside Ice Town on February 25 at 6:30 pm.  Ducks players (to be named later) will be on hand to practice with youth hockey teams and sign autographs.

As part of the Anaheim Ducks Future Ducks Rink Program, the Ducks have visited several rinks in the Southern California area, a tour that started in October. 

Players have visit seven of the program's rinks, where they have interacted with a youth hockey team by visiting their locker room or actually lacing up their skates with the team during their practice. Not only do youth hockey players get the chance to meet their favorite Ducks players, but they have the opportunity to get some advice or learn from them on the ice as well.

Ontario Ice Skating Center
1225 W. Holt Blvd.
Ontario, CA 91762

Riverside Ice Town
10540 Magnolia Avenue
Riverside, CA 92505

Jonas Hiller rebounded from some shaky moments in regulation to stop two of three attempts by Belarus in the shootout, and lift Switzerland to a 3-2 victory and a berth in the quarterfinals against Team USA.

The Ducks netminder stopped 20 of 22 shots over 70 minutes of hockey, surviving some long rebounds against a relatively weak opponent. Flash forward to the second round of the shootout, where all Hiller has to do is stop Dzmitry Mialeshka's shot for the win. But Mialeshka embarrasses the Swiss goalie, faking him face-first to the ice then rattling the puck up and over Hiller, between the pipes.

Onto the third round, where Switzerland couldn't score on the other end, putting the pressure back on Hiller. Belarus' Sergei Kotstitsyn tried to wrap the puck around Hiller's right leg, but Hiller made like a snow angel, sticking his skate out to stop the puck at the goal post. It amounted to a poor start but strong finish for the Anaheim goalie, who will probably need a better effort tomorrow to thwart the top-seeded U.S. squad.

Haven't mentioned Luca Sbisa much because he's generally been having quiet games for the Swiss. But on Tuesday, Sbisa stood out with an aggressive game. He didn't figure into the scoring but put two shots on goal and seems to have adapted to the in-your-face North American style of defense. It stood out.

Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney talks to NBC (therefore preventing me from embedding video) about Team USA's 5-3 win over Canada in the Olympics.

Just passing this along as I get it:

Statement by NHLPA and Paul Kelly

TORONTO (February 23, 2010) - The parties have resolved all matters regarding Paul Kelly's employment with the National Hockey League Players' Association. The Association and its members appreciate the service and contributions of Mr. Kelly, as well as his commitment to the National Hockey League Players' Association and its members.

The Association and Mr. Kelly will be making no further statements regarding this matter.

Check out the latest installment in Jonas Hiller's Olympic diary. Turns out he's got good reason to be worried about today's opponent, Belarus: They beat Switzerland in one of two exhibition games prior to the Olympics. Game starts at noon on the USA network.

The Swedes outplayed their rivals in every facet of the game, holding the Ducks duo of Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu scoreless along with the rest of their countrymen.

Henrik Lundqvist made 20 saves for the shutout, ensuring a bye into the quarterfinals for Sweden as the second seed. So does Finland, the fourth seed.

Believe it: The United States beat the Canadians on their own soil, going a perfect 3-0 in Group A and earning a bye into the quarterfinals of the Olympic men's hockey tournament.

With Corey Perry in the penalty box for slashing, Jamie Langenbrunner scored the eventual game-winning goal with just under 13 minutes left in the third period.

Brian Rafalski scored twice, Chris Drury scored once, and Ryan Kesler poke-checked the game's final goal past Perry and into an empty net to seal the victory. The Ducks' Bobby Ryan picked up the assist on Drury's second-period goal, the only point among the five Anaheim players in the game.

Ryan Miller made 42 saves for the victory.

Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller had more trouble holding off the Norwegians on Saturday than he did the Canadians on Thursday.

Only this time, Hiller came out on the winning end of the overtime result, stopping 19 shots as Switzerland beat Norway 5-4. Romano Lemm scored 2:28 into the extra period to clinch third place in Group A for Switzerland, and eliminate Norway from the medal round.

With his team leading 4-3 at 12:18 of the third period, Hiller allowed the third goal of the game by Norway's Tore Vikingstad. Writes the Associated Press:

(Patrick) Thoresen stole the puck from Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks, who played it outside what would be the trapezoid area in the NHL, and couldn't get back in time to stop Vikingstad's shot off Thoresen's feed. Hats littered the ice, including one with Viking horns.

Teemu Selanne became the all-time leading scorer in Olympic ice hockey history Friday when he assisted on Team Finland's third goal in a 5-0 win over Germany.

The 39-year-old Ducks forward, playing in his fifth Games, got the second assist on Kimmo Timonen's second-period, power-play goal for his 37th career Olympic point. That broke a tie with Canadian Harry Watson, former Soviet Union great Valeri Kharlamov and Czechoslovakia's Vlastimil Bubnik who have 36 each.

Ducks teammate Saku Koivu also picked up an assist Friday on the Finns' second goal.

Jonas Hiller did not have to be the winning goaltender on Thursday to become the talk of Vancouver.

In what he told reporters was the "one of the best games I've ever seen for the Swiss national team," Switzerland pushed Canada to a shootout before losing, 3-2. Hiller stopped 45 of 47 in regulation and allowed the only goal in the shootout, to Sidney Crosby, after stopping Crosby, Jonathan Toews and teammate Ryan Getzlaf in the first three rounds.

San Jose Sharks teammates Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau scored for Canada in regulation.

Some good morning reads on Hiller:

• From the Montreal Gazette
• From the Vancouver Sun
• From NHL.com

During the NHL Olympic Break, FSN Prime Ticket will re-air several Ducks games from the first half of the 2009-10 NHL season.

The four-game classic series begins Friday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. with Anaheim's 6-1 victory at Boston from Oct. 8. In addition to the classic games, Freeway Face-off: Midseason Report will debut Monday, Feb. 22 on Prime Ticket beginning at 10:30 p.m.

Freeway Face-off: Bound for B.C. will also re-air three additional nights on Prime Ticket, beginning Friday, Feb. 19 (4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.). Below is a complete list of Ducks coverage on PRIME TICKET through the remainder of the Olympic Break.

DUCKS CLASSICS
Fri., Feb. 19 8 p.m. at Boston (from Oct. 8) W, 6-1
Sun., Feb. 21 8 p.m. vs. Calgary (from Jan. 17) W, 5-4
Tues., Feb. 23 8 p.m. at St. Louis (from Jan. 23) W, 4-3 SO
Fri., Feb. 26 8:30 p.m. vs. Los Angeles (from Feb. 8) W, 4-2

FREEWAY FACE-OFF: MIDSEASON REPORT
Debuts:
Mon., Feb. 22 (10:30 p.m.)
Re-airs:
Tues., Feb. 23 (7:30 p.m.)
Wed., Feb. 24 (2 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.)
Thurs., Feb. 25 (7 p.m.)
Fri., Feb. 26 (10:30 p.m.)
Sat., Feb. 27 (11:30 a.m.)

FREEWAY FACE-OFF: BOUND FOR B.C.
Re-airs:
Fri., Feb. 19 (4:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.)
Sat., Feb. 20 (11:30 a.m. & 10:30 p.m.)
Sun., Feb. 21 (2 p.m.)

Brian Rafalski scored twice, and Chris Drury, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel and Ryan Malone scored once in a 6-1 win for Team USA over Norway at the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament.

The Ducks' Ryan Whitney and Bobby Ryan were kept off the scoreboard. Only an assist by the Kings' Jack Johnson (when Malone buried the rebound of his slap shot) gave Southern California a share of the victory.

Jonas Hiller and Team Switzerland take to the ice against Scott Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Team Canada at 4:30 p.m. (CNBC)

Three minutes, 24 seconds.

That's how long it took Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu to produce a goal for Finland for the first time in these Olympics, when the Ducks teammates assisted on Olli Jokinen's first-period goal against Belarus. Finland rolled to an easy 5-1 victory in its Vancouver debut.

For Selanne, the assist gave him a share of the Olympic record for most career points, according to NHL.com.

Selanne has 20 goals and 36 points in five Olympic appearances. Citing the IIHF record book, NHL.com reports that Selanne is now tied with Czechoslovakia's Vlastimil Bubnik, Russia's Valeri Kharlamov and Canada's Harry Watson. With five more goals in the tournament, Selanne will tie the Olympic record for most career goals in the modern era, which begins with the 1956 Olympics. Sweden's Sven "Tumba" Johansson holds the record with 25.

With the assist, Koivu also moved two assists closer to tying the Olympic record of 22, held by Russia's Kharlamov.

Scoreless after one period with Norway, Team Canada suddenly realized it was Canada and finished off an 8-0 victory in its Olympic opener on Tuesday in Vancouver.

Ducks teammates Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry each had a goal for the host squad. Scott Niedermayer had an assist, as did former Duck Chris Pronger.

Getzlaf and Perry played on the same line, usually at left and right wing, respectively, centered by the Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal. Getzlaf and Perry also enjoyed some power-play time on either side of center Sidney Crosby.

Pronger and Niedermayer were split up for the most part, defying prognosticators, as head coach Mike Babcock used the game against an easy opponent to mix-and-match. But at one point during a second-period power play, Staal was at center with Getzlaf, Perry, Niedermayer and Pronger.

Canada plays Switzerland in its next game

Bobby Ryan got the better of Jonas Hiller in their first game as opponents, scoring a goal as Team USA opened the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament with a 3-1 win over Switzerland.

Ryan opened the scoring in the first period, grabbing a loose puck in the high slot and firing past the glove of his Anaheim Ducks teammate. Hiller stopped 21 of 24 shots.

David Backes and Ryan Malone also scored goals, and Ryan Miller made 14 saves for Team USA.

Before they left for Vancouver, Jonas Hiller, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney took a pop quiz. One question. If they didn't study, they should have.

What's the first men's hockey game in the Olympics?

Hiller and Ryan knew; Whitney, who was only added the Team USA roster last week, did not.

Hiller, in fact, has had it circled for a while. "Ever since they announced the schedule," he schedule.

Here's what else the trio had to say about today's game between USA and Switzerland at noon:

Justin Pogge wasted no time getting to work in the American Hockey League last week.

Returned to the San Antonio Rampage after goaltender Vesa Toskala arrived in Anaheim, Pogge made three consecutive starts over the weekend and won them all, stopping 97 of 100 shots. On Monday, he was named AHL player of the week for the week ending Sunday.

Pogge began the week with a 27-save performance in San Antonio's 3-1 win at Peoria on Friday night. In a rematch with the Rivermen on Saturday, Pogge made 43 saves on 44 shots to lead the Rampage to a 2-1 victory. And on Sunday, Pogge turned aside 27 shots as San Antonio edged Milwaukee 2-1.

One day after his two-goal, two-assist performance for the Ducks, Ryan Getzlaf received permission today to play for Team Canada.

Getzlaf's status was in question after he sprained his ankle in the Ducks' win over the Kings last Monday. He missed two games before returning Sunday in Edmonton, where he played a full 19:28 centering the Ducks' top line.

The Ducks bounced back nicely against a team that gave them trouble in Anaheim on Wednesday, and Ryan Getzlaf made a statement in his return from an ankle injury.

Getzlaf, whose status for Team Canada in the Olympics was in jeopardy after hurting his ankle against the Kings on Monday, scored two goals and assisted on two others for the Ducks.

Saku Koivu, Scott Niedermayer, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and George Parros also scored goals for the Ducks. Teemu Selanne had a pair of assists and Jonas Hiller made 23 saves in goal. He had a much easier night than counterpart Jeff Deslauriers, who faced 46 shots and could easily have given up more than seven goals.

The Ducks head to the Olympic break with a 30-25-7 record with 19 games left in the regular season. They're two points back of Calgary for eighth place in the Western Conference standings.

Troy Bodie's first-period deflection of a Scott Niedermayer shot was all the Ducks would get against a stingy Flames defense.

Jonas Hiller made 35 saves but allowed a pair of goals to Jarome Iginla in the second period -- the first on a one-timer and the second on a breakaway tip-in, to break a 1-1 tie.

The Ducks lost valuable ground in the Western Conference standings. Though not a must-win situation, Anaheim could have matched Calgary with 67 points and kept pace with Dallas and Detroit, who both won Saturday. Instead, they fell four points back of the eighth spot and sit in 10th place in the west with 20 games left in the regular season.

Ryan Getzlaf missed the game with a sprained ankle, forcing Randy Carlyle to juggle his lines. Petteri Nokelainen, Ryan Carter and mostly Saku Koivu alternated in and out of the top-two center positions.

The Ducks travel to Edmonton to play the Oilers at 4 p.m. Sunday, their final game before the Olympic break.

The worst team in the NHL gave the Ducks a run for their money in a sloppy game at Honda Center, before Anaheim pulled out its team-record 11th straight win on home ice.

Bobby Ryan scored twice, and Todd Marchant scored the game-winning goal on a deflection of James Wisniewski's point shot at 8:21 of the third period. Jonas Hiller made 37 saves but was beaten twice on short-handed rushes in the second period.

"It didn't matter how we did it," Hiller said. "We did it and it's a great feeling."

Some interesting reads about Ducks past and present:

1. Joffrey Lupul has lost 25 pounds since going on injured reserve. That's almost as twice as much as Teemu Selanne lost following his jaw surgery. Read more about Lupul in the Edmonton Journal.

2. Steve Yzerman and Team Canada's assistant general managers will discuss Ryan Getzlaf's health on a conference call this afternoon. Read more on TSN.ca.

3. Sammy Pahlsson is unhappy with the season he's having in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets are in last place in the Central Division and recently fired head coach Ken Hitchcock. Read more about Pahlsson in the Columbus Dispatch.

4. John Buccigross remembers Brendan Burke and writes from Tuesday's memorial service on ESPN.com.

An MRI performed this afternoon on the sprained left ankle of Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf showed no significant ligament or muscle tears, and the Ducks center is listed as day-to-day.

Following the MRI, Getzlaf made the following statement: "My ankle feels much better today and I'm relieved the test showed no significant damage. My goal is to return to the ice this week for the Ducks, and I look forward to joining Team Canada for the Olympics on Monday."

That collective sigh you hear is coming from north of the U.S. border. The Ducks, however, will likely have to play the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow night without their leading scorer.

Getzlaf left in the second period of Monday night's win over the Kings and didn't return after sustaining the injury. On Tuesday morning he told reporters that "the swelling and stuff all reacted perfectly. There's not much swelling."

Something had to give and you could say the Ducks took it.

The Kings' team-record winning streak ends at nine, and the Ducks' home winning streak goes to 10 - matching a team record.


Teemu Selanne, Getzlaf, Saku Koivu and Corey Perry scored for the Ducks, while Oscar Moller and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings.
Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller outdueled counterpart Jonathan Quick, making 35 saves to Quick's 29.

Getzlaf sprained his left ankle midway through the second period and did not return. X-rays were negative and an MRI exam will be performed today to determine the full extent of the injury.

Vesa Toskala has already ordered a new goalie's mask and sounded like he couldn't wait to shed the Toronto Maple Leafs-colored mask that he wore Sunday in his first practice with the Ducks.

It took a week, but Vesa Toskala has joined the Anaheim Ducks.

His immigration paperwork in order, Toskala will practice with his new team Sunday at Honda Center for the first time since coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toskala has worn number 35 - the jersey formerly worn by Jean-Sebastien Giguere - for all but one of his eight NHL seasons. A team spokesperson said that Toskala's jersey number for Monday's game against the Kings has yet to be determined.

Goaltender Justin Pogge was returned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Dan Sexton, playing his first game in the American Hockey League since being sent back to Manitoba by the Ducks, scored twice in the Moose's 5-4 loss to the San Antonio Rampage.

In six games for the Moose this season, Sexton has three goals and five points.

Ducks defenseman prospect Brian Salcido had a pair of assists in the game, including one on a first-period power play goal by Sexton. Salcido has seven goals and 14 points in 44 games for the Moose.

TSN is reporting that injured Edmonton Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray has included the Ducks on a list of at least six teams he would waive his no-trade clause for. The others are the Kings, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.

From the Richmond (IN) Palladium-Item:

Heavy accumulations of snowfall on Friday rendered area roads treacherous and claimed the lives of two people, injuring others and sparking a string of slideoffs and fender benders.

Brendan Burke, 21, Canton, Mass., and Mark A. Reedy, 18, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., died at the scene of a two-vehicle accident at U.S. 35 north of Economy. The accident was reported at 2:50 p.m.

Investigators said Burke was driving eastbound on U.S. 35 in a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee when, according to witnesses, the vehicle slid sideways into an oncoming 1997 Ford Truck driven by 24-year-old Michael Moreland of Lynn. Moreland was not hurt.

"We are saddened to report that Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke, succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident earlier today in Indiana. The family asks for privacy at this difficult time."

Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar scored in the final six minutes of the third period to break a 4-4 tie, and send the Ducks to their third loss in three meetings against their Southern California rivals.

The Ducks looked as good as dead at 1:44 of the third period, when Jack Johnson scored the Kings' fourth straight unanswered goal to make it 4-1. But Troy Bodie, Matt Beleskey and Ryan Carter put pucks past Jonathan Quick over the next eight minutes to tie the game at 4, and put the Ducks in position to gain at least a point.

Defenseman Ryan Whitney was added to the U.S. Olympic roster for the Vancouver Games this morning.

"It will be amazing," Whitney said. "I've played for my country before and it's quite a feeling. It's really a feeling like no other."

The 26-year-old has represented Team USA at the 2001 World U18 Championships (Heinola/Helsinki/Lahi, Finland), the 2002 World Junior Championships (Pardubice/Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) and the 2003 World Junior Championships (Halifax/Sydney, Canada).

This season for the Ducks, he has four goals and 24 points -- tied for seventh among U.S.-born defensemen in the NHL -- through 57 games. Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason was also named to the team on Thursday.

"You have a lot of pride, you're just happy to be a part of the team that's representing your nation," Whitney said. "I can't wait. I'm so excited. I think it's going to be quite an experience."

Whitney joins teammates Bobby Ryan (USA), Scott Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry (Canada), Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne (Finland), Jonas Hiller and Sbisa (Switzerland). Ryan and Whitney become the second and third Ducks selected to Team USA in franchise history and could be the first to appear in a game. Former Ducks goaltender Guy Hebert was named to the 1998 Team USA Olympic squad, but did not play.

Ducks prospect Luca Sbisa, who is playing for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, is also expected to play for Team Switzerland.

Jonas Hiller signed a four-year, $18 million contract extension on Saturday, smack-dab in the middle of a shutout streak that ended Wednesday night at 1:55:03. That's the longest of his brief NHL career, and about two periods shy of Jean-Sebastien Giguere's team record (2:37:07).

Is Hiller's recent success directly tied to his new contract, and the expectations that come with it? Is it a result of being named the team's undisputed, number-one goalie? Or is the team just playing better in front of him?

Maybe it's all of the above.

The Ducks gained a critical two points in the standings against a tired Red Wings squad before 15,180 at Honda Center. Their 61 points in the standings matches 10th-place Dallas, and trails the three eighth-place teams (Detroit, Nashville and Calgary) by three.

U.S. Olympic defenseman Mike Komisarek of the Toronto Maple Leafs will have shoulder surgery that will knock him out of the Vancouver Games and the rest of the NHL season. A date for the operation has not yet been set, the Maple Leafs said Wednesday.

"Our team doctors have recommended this after a determined effort to rehab the injury without surgery," Komisarek said in a statement. "Having this done immediately is the right thing to do for the Leafs. I am truly sorry that I will not be able to represent my country at the Olympics."

Team USA recently lost New Jersey Devils defenseman Paul Martin to a broken left forearm, leaving two openings on the blue line. The Ducks' Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski are already among the names being bandied about as possible replacements. Others include Pittsburgh's Alex Goligoski and the Kings' Rob Scuderi.

Tyler Myers of the Buffalo Sabres and Keith Yandle of the Phoenix Coyotes are the leading point producers among U.S.-born defensemen, but were not on the initial list of 60 players submitted to the IIHF as Olympic candidates by Brian Burke.

Nick Boynton has been assigned to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose, and Matt Beleskey has been recalled from ECHL Bakersfield. Boynton cleared waivers on Tuesday.

Presumably, this leaves the Ducks with six defensemen and 15 forwards for tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center.

Also, minor-leaguers Shawn Weller and and Mark Mitera have been reassigned from Bakersfield to Abbotsford (B.C.) of the AHL. Weller, a forward, was leading the Condors with 18 goals and 46 points and was the team captain. Mitera, a defenseman selected in the first round by the Ducks (19th overall) in 2006, had three goals and 13 points in 36 games.

From the Canadian Press:

Brian Burke's team had a good night Tuesday, as Phaneuf and his new teammates rolled over the New Jersey Devils 3-0 to snap a six-game winless streak. The Leafs beat their Eastern Conference rivals thanks in large part to the energy provided by Phaneuf, new forward Fredrik Sjostrom and goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Giguere finished with 30 saves, becoming only the second goaltender in team history to record a shutout in his debut. Ed Belfour was the first, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0 on Oct. 10, 2002.

Defenseman Nick Boynton has cleared waivers. No word yet on whether the Ducks will keep him or assign him to the minors.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Paul Martin announced today that he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the U.S. Olympic Roster. Martin, who is currently on the Devils' injured reserve, was named to the team on New Year's Day. But his recovery from a fractured left forearm isn't progressing as quickly as hoped, and Team USA will need to name a defenseman to take his place.

The Ducks' goalie of the future certainly looked like an $18 million man Monday.

Teemu Selanne is back at right wing on the Ducks' second line, joining new left wing Jason Blake with center Saku Koivu. The Ducks and Panthers are just getting underway in Sunrise, Florida.

With Selanne re-joining the team, Matt Beleskey has been re-assigned to ECHL affiliate Bakersfield. Defenseman Nick Boynton was placed on waivers earlier in the day, and can be claimed by any NHL team before 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Playing mostly alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on the Ducks' top line, Beleskey had five goals and nine points in 34 games this season for the Ducks. His five goals in January tied for second among all NHL rookies.

A fourth-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2006, Beleskey has never appeared below the AHL level. In 15 AHL games this season, split between San Antonio and Toronto, Beleskey had two goals and seven points.

Teemu Selanne could be in the lineup tonight against the Florida Panthers, telling the Ducks' Web site "I think I'm playing."

"I talked to the doctors. Playing tonight or Wednesday (against visiting Detroit) isn't going to be that much different. I'm very excited to be back in the lineup."

Selanne has not played since suffering a mutliple jaw fracture Jan. 13 against Boston, 19 days ago.