Quackalackin'

Brian Burke's son admits he's gay.

2009-11-25T03:03:57Z

This piece on ESPN.com about Brendan Burke, the son of former Ducks general manager Brian Burke, could be an important one for anyone with a passing interest in sports.

It's the first public admission by 21-year-old Brendan Burke, a former high school goalie and currently a team manager at Miami (Ohio) University, that he is gay. The vehement support shown by Brian Burke and the Miami players has potential to break the code of silence toward gay athletes in hockey locker rooms across North America.

Of course, it might not. As Brian Burke tells author John Buccigross: "There are gay men in professional hockey. We would be fools to think otherwise. And it's sad that they feel the need to conceal this. I understand why they do so, however."

Lupul will miss another game.

2009-11-25T00:10:59Z

Joffrey Lupul did not skate Tuesday, and visited with a doctor instead, as he continues to treat back spasms. Head coach Randy Carlyle ruled him out of Wednesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The forward has missed the past two games.

Dan Sexton loaned to AHL Manitoba

2009-11-24T23:15:22Z

Speedy winger Dan Sexton, the Bakersfield Condors' leading scorer, has been promoted from the Ducks' ECHL affiliate to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose.

The 22-year-old was leading the Condors in goals (13) and points (26), and has more goals than any ECHL rookie. A free-agent signee out of Boston College, Sexton was named ECHL Player of the Week Monday for scoring five goals and nine points in four games to help Bakersfield go 4-0.

After registering three assists in a 6-2 win against Alaska on Nov. 20, Sexton scored his first career hat trick in a 7-4 win against the Aces on Nov. 21 and closed out the week scoring the game-winning goal and three points (2g-1a) in a 4-2 win on Nov. 22.

Sexton's center in Bakersfield, MacGregor Sharp, made his NHL debut with the Ducks last Thursday. In Manitoba, Sexton joins Ducks center Erik Christensen and defense prospect Brian Salcido.

Ducks 3, Flames 2, SO

2009-11-24T05:33:39Z

Teemu Selanne scored the only goal in the shootout as the Ducks beat the Calgary Flames 3-2.

Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf scored in regulation for the Ducks, and Corey Perry picked up an assist to extend his NHL-leading point streak to 15 games.

Curtis Glencross and Jarome Iginla scored for the Flames, the latter coming with 18 seconds remaining in regulation of a 2-1 game.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 41 saves and earned his first win since March, a span of nine games dating back to last season.

More details in tomorrow's editions ...

AHL update.

2009-11-23T07:44:55Z

It's been a busy week for the Ducks-contracted players currently in the AHL. There's a total of six, which has to be the lowest for any NHL club, and four of them switched teams this week.

• Matt Beleskey, Troy Bodie and Brett Festerling were re-assigned Tuesday to Toronto from San Antonio, where they weren't getting adequate playing time in the eyes of Ducks management.

Festerling has been the most productive in a Marlies uniform, notching a pair of assists in three games, to go along with a plus-4 rating in three games. Bodie has been held scoreless in three games. Beleskey made his Toronto debut Sunday and, though he didn't score in regulation, he came through with one of two Marlies goals in a shootout against the Lake Erie Monsters, which Toronto won 3-2.

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San Jose 3, Ducks 2.

2009-11-22T05:26:11Z

The Ducks got a pair of goals from defensemen -- a rarity -- but Joe Thornton's marker with 8:49 left made the difference.

James Wisniewski and Ryan Whitney scored for the Ducks (7-11-3), who had only received three goals by defenseman all season, including Scott Niedermayer's game-winner in overtime Thursday.

The Sharks took advantage of 14 giveaways, including one by Bobby Ryan that allowed Dany Heatley to set up Thornton's game-winning goal. Heatley also scored his 18th goal of the season with the Sharks skating 5-on-4 in the second period.

Jonas Hiller got the start and stopped 33 of 36 shots.

Carter x-ray reveals fracture, out four weeks.

2009-11-22T02:45:58Z

Additional x-rays on Ryan Carter have revealed a fracture in his right foot. The center, who was initially diagnosed with a bruise after being hit with the puck during the Ducks' morning skate last Thursday in Columbus, will be out approximately four additional weeks.

The 26-year-old had a goal and two assists in 13 games prior to the injury.

Christensen: 'Changes are probably inevitable.'

2009-11-21T20:48:57Z

Erik Christensen, in an interview with the Winnipeg Sun, talks about his conditioning assignment with the AHL's Manitoba Moose, as well as the state of the Ducks.

Christensen went unclaimed after he was placed on waivers Nov. 2, then rode the pine until centers Saku Koivu and Ryan Carter went down with injuries, forcing the Ducks to use Christensen for three games on last week's road trip.

"It's tough, at one point the team is willing to lose you and the next, they need you and they're willing to put you in the lineup," Christensen told the paper. "I thought I played well in the three games I was in (after clearing waivers) but Anaheim is at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Changes are probably inevitable down there."

Head coach Randy Carlyle disagreed specifically with Christensen's self-evaluation after practice Friday, saying "we thought we had Christensen for a couple games to give him an opportunity, but we didn't think that worked very well." Christensen was available to the Ducks in the road finale Monday in Pittsburgh, but Carlyle opted to shuffle the forward lines and play defenseman Sheldon Brookbank on the fourth line instead.

Ebbett on the move again.

2009-11-21T20:26:08Z

Center Andrew Ebbett, whom the Chicago Blackhawks claimed off waivers from the Ducks in October, was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Wild today.

Ebbett had played 10 games in a Blackhawks uniform, scoring one goal and spending two minutes in the penalty box, before going on waivers Friday. A look at the standings reveals that Ebbett was available to the Ducks before the Wild claimed him.

The Blackhawks will visit Honda Center next Friday; the Ducks will face the Wild on the road Dec. 4 and at home Dec. 29.

Lupul adds to Ducks' injury woes.

2009-11-21T00:41:56Z

Already missing forwards Saku Koivu and Ryan Carter, left wing Joffrey Lupul sat out the Ducks' practice Friday with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

"Just some soreness," Lupul said. "I kind of know the drill. I don't want to get into it too much, but it's some soreness in my lower body. Hopefully it can be taken care of tomorrow."

Lupul said the injury is not related to the recurring back stiffness that sidelined him in the preseason, but "wouldn't rule myself out for tomorrow."

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"It's possible," he said, asked if he could play Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. "When you feel better and better, but you're still not 100 percent you're going to have to be patient and wait a couple extra days. ... The main thing is to try to be as smart as you can and wait until you're 100 percent, or at least close to it."

Carter and defenseman James Wisniewski are now both wearing protective boots after absorbing shots in their feet. Neither practiced Friday, and Carter has yet to take the ice since sustaining his injury in practice eight days ago.

Wisniewski was hit by a shot in the first period of Thursday's 4-3 win over Tampa Bay and said he will re-evaluate his availability after the morning skate Saturday. Fortunately, Wisniewski said the swelling in his foot subsided significantly overnight, but not enough to allow him to practice.

"Today is 10 times better," he said. "Hopefully with some more treatment and just icing it all day, I'm looking to try to come play tomorrow."

Defenseman Steve Eminger, who came down with back spasms prior to Thursday's game, also did not practice Friday. His status for tomorrow also remains in doubt. Asked if the team might recall another defenseman prior to game time, head coach Randy Carlyle said "that'll be an option that we'll have to wait and get from our medical people. With Eminger and Wisniewski that obviously leaves us down one defenseman."

MacGregor Sharp on reaching the NHL.

2009-11-20T21:38:33Z

Ducks center MacGregor Sharp, recalled prior to Thursday's game against Tampa Bay, said he was "pretty surprised an obviously really happy" about being shipped straight from Bakersfield of the ECHL to Anaheim.

Here's what else he had to say ...

]]> "It's an unbelievable feeling. Ever since you started playing hockey you've been waiting to hear that. I was pretty excited."

Did you envision possibly going straight from the ECHL to the NHL?
"Not at all. In the back of your mind you hope it comes along, but I hopefullythought I'd move up to the AHL, find a spot there and get some time in."

How did your first game go?
"I think I did pretty well. I kept things simple. I did pretty good on my faceoffs. My line was pretty effective when it got the chance, did the things we were supposed to do."

What's the most noticeable difference between the NHL and ECHL?
"All the guys are good, talk a lot out there, everyone's in the right position. So in a way it's an easier game to play. You just have to be sure you're doing the right things yourself to help everybody out."

Stop what you're doing and watch this goal.

2009-11-20T06:50:00Z

This goal by Steven Stamkos has to be the most jaw-dropping goal I've ever witnessed in person.

Sadly, I didn't drop my jaw.

It happened so fast that it was almost impossible to tell how Stamkos scored, sliding on his butt along the ice, in real time. Here was Jonas Hiller's description of the goal, which brought the Tampa Bay Lightning to within 3-2 of the Ducks on Thursday at Honda Center:

"It was a play from behind the net; he shoots the puck and I think I made a pretty good save. It hit me right in the chest and bounced back. He fell backwards and just tipped it somehow. Sort of a lucky goal, but that's what happens if you get in front of the net if you keep working for the rebounds."

Note: Upon arriving home, I was not shocked to see this made SportsCenter's #1 highlight.

Ducks 4, Tampa Bay 3, SO.

2009-11-20T06:45:09Z

Scott Niedermayer fired the game-winner past Lightning goaltender Mike Smith 52 seconds into the extra period, and Jonas Hiller made 21 saves as the Ducks snapped a four-game losing streak at Honda Center.

Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne each finished with a goal and two assists as the Ducks improved to 7-10-3.

Christensen loaned to AHL

2009-11-19T18:35:54Z

Center Erik Christensen has been loaned to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League for conditioning purposes. Christensen will remain on the Ducks' NHL roster, but can play in games and practice with Manitoba for a period of up to 14 days.

The 25-year-old had been held without a point in nine games for the Ducks this season, and was a healthy scratch the past two. Christensen was placed on waivers Nov. 2 but went unclaimed; without an AHL affiliate, it took some time for the Ducks to find Christensen a new home.

Sharp recalled; Koivu, Carter to IR.

2009-11-18T23:27:45Z

Center MacGregor Sharp has been recalled from the Bakersfield Condors, the Ducks' ECHL affiliate, while centers Saku Koivu and Ryan Carter have been placed on injured reserve retroactive to their last appearance -- Nov. 11 for Carter and Nov. 7 for Koivu.

The 24-year-old Sharp ranked second on the Condors in points (14) and first in assists (10) through 15 games at the time of his recall. Signed as an undrafted free agent to a two-year entry-level contract on Mar. 31, Sharp finished tied for fourth in the nation last season with 50 points (26 goals) in 43 games with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Sharp also ranked second in the country in goals.

Koivu has been battling a groin injury, while Carter is recovering from a bruised foot. Both would be eligible to play tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Lightning.