A new opportunity for Ducks’ youth.

Posted on February 25, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.”
Continue reading “A new opportunity for Ducks’ youth.” »

Canada 8, Germany 2: How the Ducks fared.

Posted on February 23, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.

U.S. beats Norway, 6-1; quiet day for locals.

Posted on February 18, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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)

Getzlaf, Perry shine in Canada’s win.

Posted on February 16, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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

Ducks 7, Oilers 3.

Posted on February 14, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.

Flames 3, Ducks 1.

Posted on February 13, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.

Kings 6, Ducks 4.

Posted on February 4, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.
Continue reading “Kings 6, Ducks 4.” »

Chicago 5, Ducks 2.

Posted on January 3, 2010 by J.P. Hoornstra

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.

Niedermayer: ‘It’s just an honor to be on the team.’

Posted on December 30, 2009 by J.P. Hoornstra

No, even Scott Niedermayer didn’t have any input into who would make the final roster for Team Canada.

He was, however, informed earlier, and by higher-up officials, that he would be captaining the Olympic team that will play February in his home province of British Columbia. The Ducks defenseman said Wednesday morning that he had a discussion with head coach Mike Babcock and executive director Steve Yzerman “over the last day” about the team.

Niedermayer did the listening.

“They want to pick a club that they think is going to have a good chance of winning, putting together a team of different style players, guys that do different jobs very well,” he said at Los Angeles International Airport, just before players and coaches boarded a flight for Dallas. “They both know what it does take to win, and they’re going to do a good job of that. There’s going to be some great players having great seasons that aren’t going to get the opportunity, which is unfortunate because there are a lot of good hockey players that come from Canada.”
Continue reading “Niedermayer: ‘It’s just an honor to be on the team.’” »

Ducks Olympians: Getzlaf, Perry, Niedermayer, Selanne, Koivu, Hiller, Sbisa

Posted on December 30, 2009 by J.P. Hoornstra

Seven Ducks were named to their respective Olympic teams Wednesday.

Defenseman Scott Niedermayer has been chosen captain, and will join forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry as members of the Canadian Olympic team at the 2010 Vancouver Games in February.

Center Saku Koivu was named captain of Team Finland and will be joined by Ducks linemate Teemu Selanne in Vancouver.

Goalie Jonas Hiller and defenseman prospect Luca Sbisa will represent Team Switzerland.

Team USA will be announced Friday.

More details and quotes to follow.

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