On The Duck Pond - An Anaheim Ducks blog
The biggest move of late has been getting a new coach, but Anaheim is still making little moves as well.
On Monday, Ben Maxwell was put on waivers to be sent down to Syracuse of the AHL. Maxwell never made it there. Winnipeg reclaimed Maxwell and that is that. After the Jets had tried to send Maxwell to the AHL, Anaheim had picked him up. It seems only fair that Winnipeg got him back. Maxwell played a total of six games, earning one assist for the Ducks.
Jeff Deslauriers did make it back down to Syracuse. He had been recalled while goaltender Dan Ellis dealt with groin issues. Now that Ellis is clear and good to go, Deslauriers will be back in the AHL and Ellis will be on the bench backing up Jonas Hiller.
The Ducks were able to activate George Parros off IR after he was cleared for contact. Parros suffered retinal damage that required surgery after being hit in the face with a puck in practice. Parros, who had been wearing a visor while recovering, has stupidly decided to remove it. Clearly a slow learner, it might take another injury or two, or worse, permanent harm to his vision, before he repents of his visorless ways.
Parros and J.F. Jacques were both in the line up on Tuesday evening against the Kings, providing two big bodies to slam people into the boards. Jacques was recalled over the weekend from Syracuse. Again. That man gets the Dan Sexton Frequent Flyer Award for this season.
Also heading to the airport was Nick Bonino. Bonino was called up for Tuesday's game and arrived in time. His equipment got a slower flight and did not arrive with him. Therefore, he was a healthy scratch for the game. He will likely play on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.
Andrew Gordon was a healthy scratch for the first time on Tuesday. That should not be a surprise, seeing as coach Bruce Boudreau was not fond of Gordon in Washington. With the further addition of Bonino, Gordon could very well be seeing more of the press box and less of the ice.
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On Monday, Ben Maxwell was put on waivers to be sent down to Syracuse of the AHL. Maxwell never made it there. Winnipeg reclaimed Maxwell and that is that. After the Jets had tried to send Maxwell to the AHL, Anaheim had picked him up. It seems only fair that Winnipeg got him back. Maxwell played a total of six games, earning one assist for the Ducks.
Jeff Deslauriers did make it back down to Syracuse. He had been recalled while goaltender Dan Ellis dealt with groin issues. Now that Ellis is clear and good to go, Deslauriers will be back in the AHL and Ellis will be on the bench backing up Jonas Hiller.
The Ducks were able to activate George Parros off IR after he was cleared for contact. Parros suffered retinal damage that required surgery after being hit in the face with a puck in practice. Parros, who had been wearing a visor while recovering, has stupidly decided to remove it. Clearly a slow learner, it might take another injury or two, or worse, permanent harm to his vision, before he repents of his visorless ways.
Parros and J.F. Jacques were both in the line up on Tuesday evening against the Kings, providing two big bodies to slam people into the boards. Jacques was recalled over the weekend from Syracuse. Again. That man gets the Dan Sexton Frequent Flyer Award for this season.
Also heading to the airport was Nick Bonino. Bonino was called up for Tuesday's game and arrived in time. His equipment got a slower flight and did not arrive with him. Therefore, he was a healthy scratch for the game. He will likely play on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.
Andrew Gordon was a healthy scratch for the first time on Tuesday. That should not be a surprise, seeing as coach Bruce Boudreau was not fond of Gordon in Washington. With the further addition of Bonino, Gordon could very well be seeing more of the press box and less of the ice.
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Question - how many minutes are in a hockey game in regulation?
Answer - 60, but you would not know it judging by how the Ducks play.
Seems like such a simple concept - play a full 60 minutes of hockey. How hard can that be? Exceptionally difficult for the Ducks, who checked out for part of the game against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, losing 5-3.
Insert heavy sigh here.
New coach Bruce Boudreau might be regretting taking on these hapless wayward souls.
"I think we felt a little bit sorry for ourselves," said Boudreau after the game. "It took some soul-searching in between periods here, and and I think we played a solid third period. But a) too little too late, and b) if you want to be successful in this league, that is how you have to play for 60 minutes."
Can someone print this up and put it in the Ducks locker room? Or even better, in each stall? Tattooed on their foreheads? Whatever it will take to get the message through their thick skulls.
On a plus note, the Ducks continue to find offense. On the negative side, they continue to find ways to lose.
Ryan Getzlaf got a power play goal at 5:57 of the first period. Saku Koivu extended the lead with a goal at 9:25. Looking as if they could take a 2-0 lead to the locker room, Anaheim continued more bad habits by going to the penalty box. Twice.
If you give the Minnesota Wild a 5 on 3 power play for nearly 1:30 minutes, they are going to score. Dany Heatley did just that 19:56.
The Ducks held on, despite playing loosey goosey in the second period, until their lackadaisical ways caught up to them.
Casey Wellman tied up the game at 15:18 and :32 seconds later, Pierre-Marc Bouchard gave the Wild the lead.
Boudreau wisely called a timeout at that point and tried to remind his players that it was not the end of the world.
"Don't hang your head," was his message. "You look like you're a beaten crew. If you can't face a little adversity in sport or in hockey, you're not going to get anywhere. Pull up your socks and get mad rather than feel sorry for yourselves."
Boudreau nailed it when he noticed that the Ducks get a "woe is me" attitude when they fall behind.
"We've got to get that mindset out of them right away," Boudreau stated.
Amen to that, but you are preaching to a bunch of sinners who are seemingly unrepentant.
While they did come out in the third period and dominate, it still was not enough. Cam Fowler, who exited the teen years the day after the game, got his third goal of the year to tie up the game at 10:45. All three of his goals this year have come against the Minnesota Wild. Too bad they can't play the Wild every night. Then again, do they want to play the best team in the NHL when Anaheim is sitting at 29th?
There is a reason why the Wild are the best team in the NHL and they showed it.
Nick Johnson got the go-ahead goal for Minnesota at 14:29. Resilient. Persistent. Keep doing the right things and get rewarded and don't fall apart when things don't go your way.
Anaheim still had a chance when Minnesota gave them a late power play. With the net empty at the other end, Cal Clutterbuck finished off the game with :11 seconds remaining.
Defenseman Luca Sbisa declared the Ducks to be "rock bottom." Goaltender Jonas Hiller decided not to use the usual platitudes and stock answers when addressing the media after the game. Instead, he bluntly stated that the Ducks were awful and detailed several reasons why.
Seeing as the Ducks are in 29th place in the NHL, they are not quite at rock bottom, but they sure are close. Unless they want to keep drowning, Boudreau needs to find a way to get these waterfowl bouyant again.
Good luck with that Bruce. You might have taken a bottom dwelling team and led them to the playoffs after taking over the Washington Capitals, but this is the Western Conference, not the Eastern Conference. It ain't going to happen here. Not that it is impossible. Just highly improbable.
Nonetheless, Ducks fans deserve better for the remaining 56 games.
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Answer - 60, but you would not know it judging by how the Ducks play.
Seems like such a simple concept - play a full 60 minutes of hockey. How hard can that be? Exceptionally difficult for the Ducks, who checked out for part of the game against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, losing 5-3.
Insert heavy sigh here.
New coach Bruce Boudreau might be regretting taking on these hapless wayward souls.
"I think we felt a little bit sorry for ourselves," said Boudreau after the game. "It took some soul-searching in between periods here, and and I think we played a solid third period. But a) too little too late, and b) if you want to be successful in this league, that is how you have to play for 60 minutes."
Can someone print this up and put it in the Ducks locker room? Or even better, in each stall? Tattooed on their foreheads? Whatever it will take to get the message through their thick skulls.
On a plus note, the Ducks continue to find offense. On the negative side, they continue to find ways to lose.
Ryan Getzlaf got a power play goal at 5:57 of the first period. Saku Koivu extended the lead with a goal at 9:25. Looking as if they could take a 2-0 lead to the locker room, Anaheim continued more bad habits by going to the penalty box. Twice.
If you give the Minnesota Wild a 5 on 3 power play for nearly 1:30 minutes, they are going to score. Dany Heatley did just that 19:56.
The Ducks held on, despite playing loosey goosey in the second period, until their lackadaisical ways caught up to them.
Casey Wellman tied up the game at 15:18 and :32 seconds later, Pierre-Marc Bouchard gave the Wild the lead.
Boudreau wisely called a timeout at that point and tried to remind his players that it was not the end of the world.
"Don't hang your head," was his message. "You look like you're a beaten crew. If you can't face a little adversity in sport or in hockey, you're not going to get anywhere. Pull up your socks and get mad rather than feel sorry for yourselves."
Boudreau nailed it when he noticed that the Ducks get a "woe is me" attitude when they fall behind.
"We've got to get that mindset out of them right away," Boudreau stated.
Amen to that, but you are preaching to a bunch of sinners who are seemingly unrepentant.
While they did come out in the third period and dominate, it still was not enough. Cam Fowler, who exited the teen years the day after the game, got his third goal of the year to tie up the game at 10:45. All three of his goals this year have come against the Minnesota Wild. Too bad they can't play the Wild every night. Then again, do they want to play the best team in the NHL when Anaheim is sitting at 29th?
There is a reason why the Wild are the best team in the NHL and they showed it.
Nick Johnson got the go-ahead goal for Minnesota at 14:29. Resilient. Persistent. Keep doing the right things and get rewarded and don't fall apart when things don't go your way.
Anaheim still had a chance when Minnesota gave them a late power play. With the net empty at the other end, Cal Clutterbuck finished off the game with :11 seconds remaining.
Defenseman Luca Sbisa declared the Ducks to be "rock bottom." Goaltender Jonas Hiller decided not to use the usual platitudes and stock answers when addressing the media after the game. Instead, he bluntly stated that the Ducks were awful and detailed several reasons why.
Seeing as the Ducks are in 29th place in the NHL, they are not quite at rock bottom, but they sure are close. Unless they want to keep drowning, Boudreau needs to find a way to get these waterfowl bouyant again.
Good luck with that Bruce. You might have taken a bottom dwelling team and led them to the playoffs after taking over the Washington Capitals, but this is the Western Conference, not the Eastern Conference. It ain't going to happen here. Not that it is impossible. Just highly improbable.
Nonetheless, Ducks fans deserve better for the remaining 56 games.
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A new coach in Bruce Boudreau and a new perspective on the game gave the Ducks an initial boost in their game against the Flyers on Friday evening. It was not enough to overcome old habits and brain freezes that led to a 4-3 defeat in overtime.
Having been unencumbered with a dump and chase system, the Ducks embraced the ability to use offense early on in the game. Andrew Cogliano scored at 8:12 of the first period on the power play and Teemu Selanne made it 2-0 at 10:34.
Andrew Gordon, who had played for Boudreau briefly in Washington, got his first goal of the year at 6:31 of the second period. Gordon had a terrific training camp, but had not been able to net a goal once the regular season began. Now that Boudreau is here, it was a good time to step up his game. Boudreau, allegedly, did not like Gordon, which is why he spent so much time in Hershey of the AHL. Gordon clearly does not want to visit Syracuse.
The problem for the Ducks is not how the game began. The problem is where it unraveled. Again.
The Flyers are the highest scoring team in the NHL. Offense is not a problem for them. Even when they spot you three goals.
Not to be outdone by the old guy on the Ducks, the old guy in Philadelphia, Jaromir Jagr, got two power play goals. The first at 15:18 of the second and then at 4:46 of the third period.
Jagr, who turns 40 in February, seems to be just as young at heart as Selanne, who is 41. And his two goals came while nursing a sore groin.
The question is, why were the Ducks in the penalty box so much? Good luck with finding the answers to that one Mr. Boudreau.
You knew a tied game was coming. Scott Hartnell fulfilled that at 16:58 to send the game into overtime.
The Ducks had a point, and should have had two points. Then the captain, Ryan Getzlaf, got a call he did not like. And he threw a tantrum about it. Again. Thank you very much, sir, that will be FOUR minutes you can sit your whiny hind end in the penalty box.
Philadelphia made them pay. Claude Giroux converted at 3:29 of the extra period. Game over.
"They came out pretty strong and obviously they've got pretty good players that can put the puck in the net," were Giroux's comments after the game. "They made a couple of mistakes at the end, and we kind of re-grouped as a team."
Getzlaf seemed remorseful of his actions.
"It won't happen again," Getzlaf promised. "That kind of penalty at the end of the game hurt our group tonight. I'll take that on me and we'll go forward from there. I've said a lot worse to referees. I'm not afraid to admit that. At the end of the game like that, it's tough to make that call. I definitely regret what I did and it won't happen again."
Really?
This is not Getzlaf's first temper tantrum. I sincerely doubt it will be his last, despite his promises otherwise. Won't do it again? Should not have happened in the first place. If that is what you call "leadership" from a captain, Boudreau might want to add nap mats to the locker room.
Time to grow up and change those actions for good. Getzlaf finally decided to listen to common sense and keep a visor on his helmet only after hurting his team last spring by sitting out for a couple months with a broken bone in his forehead, a preventable accident.
Apparently Getzlaf is a slow learner.
So are the rest of the Ducks, who cannot seem to resist the opportunity to blow chances, commit errors and self implode. Good luck with that Boudreau!
There are certainly positive signs of progress and there is hope that things will turn around, but until the Ducks cease and desist in doing dumb things night after night, Boudreau might regret coming to Anaheim. And players from the roster might just find themselves in different cities that are not nearly as hospitable in the winter time.
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Having been unencumbered with a dump and chase system, the Ducks embraced the ability to use offense early on in the game. Andrew Cogliano scored at 8:12 of the first period on the power play and Teemu Selanne made it 2-0 at 10:34.
Andrew Gordon, who had played for Boudreau briefly in Washington, got his first goal of the year at 6:31 of the second period. Gordon had a terrific training camp, but had not been able to net a goal once the regular season began. Now that Boudreau is here, it was a good time to step up his game. Boudreau, allegedly, did not like Gordon, which is why he spent so much time in Hershey of the AHL. Gordon clearly does not want to visit Syracuse.
The problem for the Ducks is not how the game began. The problem is where it unraveled. Again.
The Flyers are the highest scoring team in the NHL. Offense is not a problem for them. Even when they spot you three goals.
Not to be outdone by the old guy on the Ducks, the old guy in Philadelphia, Jaromir Jagr, got two power play goals. The first at 15:18 of the second and then at 4:46 of the third period.
Jagr, who turns 40 in February, seems to be just as young at heart as Selanne, who is 41. And his two goals came while nursing a sore groin.
The question is, why were the Ducks in the penalty box so much? Good luck with finding the answers to that one Mr. Boudreau.
You knew a tied game was coming. Scott Hartnell fulfilled that at 16:58 to send the game into overtime.
The Ducks had a point, and should have had two points. Then the captain, Ryan Getzlaf, got a call he did not like. And he threw a tantrum about it. Again. Thank you very much, sir, that will be FOUR minutes you can sit your whiny hind end in the penalty box.
Philadelphia made them pay. Claude Giroux converted at 3:29 of the extra period. Game over.
"They came out pretty strong and obviously they've got pretty good players that can put the puck in the net," were Giroux's comments after the game. "They made a couple of mistakes at the end, and we kind of re-grouped as a team."
Getzlaf seemed remorseful of his actions.
"It won't happen again," Getzlaf promised. "That kind of penalty at the end of the game hurt our group tonight. I'll take that on me and we'll go forward from there. I've said a lot worse to referees. I'm not afraid to admit that. At the end of the game like that, it's tough to make that call. I definitely regret what I did and it won't happen again."
Really?
This is not Getzlaf's first temper tantrum. I sincerely doubt it will be his last, despite his promises otherwise. Won't do it again? Should not have happened in the first place. If that is what you call "leadership" from a captain, Boudreau might want to add nap mats to the locker room.
Time to grow up and change those actions for good. Getzlaf finally decided to listen to common sense and keep a visor on his helmet only after hurting his team last spring by sitting out for a couple months with a broken bone in his forehead, a preventable accident.
Apparently Getzlaf is a slow learner.
So are the rest of the Ducks, who cannot seem to resist the opportunity to blow chances, commit errors and self implode. Good luck with that Boudreau!
There are certainly positive signs of progress and there is hope that things will turn around, but until the Ducks cease and desist in doing dumb things night after night, Boudreau might regret coming to Anaheim. And players from the roster might just find themselves in different cities that are not nearly as hospitable in the winter time.
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After the initial shock of coach Randy Carlyle's firing has worn off, now comes the reality of what is up next for the Anaheim Ducks.
Bruce Boudreau wasted no time in getting to know his new team and conducted his first practice at Anaheim Ice.
What a breath of fresh air!
Perhaps the best description of the new paradigm shift in Anaheim would be to describe the final act by the Ducks. All the players had to gather around the goaltender in a semi circle and shoot pucks at the net. If the puck was stopped, they had to try again. But if the puck went in the net, they could head off the ice and to the dressing room. Before heading off, they were to chuck their sticks and throw their gloves in reckless abandon on the ice.
Lighthearted fun? Absolutely. Symbolic of shedding the baggage and getting rid of the weight that has burdened them this past month? Without a doubt.
The energy of the players was a marked improvement under the new eye of Boudreau. There was a jump in their step. There were smiles on their faces. They were trying to get their minds around a new way of approaching their hockey game.
It seemed freeing, and it was not just the gloves and sticks that were being abandoned. It was everything about the old way of doing things.
Bobby Ryan certainly had plenty to smile about. He was back on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. For now, the rumors about trading him seem to be quieter and less grounded in reality. The idea that the Ducks would have traded their proven 30 goal scorer before hiring a new coach seemed utterly ridiculous, but not unlikely given GM Bob Murray's track record.
Despite backing Carlyle, come hell or high water, and both had arrived in Anaheim with horrible play by the team, Murray did the unfathomable. He fired Carlyle. And the rest of the coaching staff. To most people, it was the logical response. With Murray, it was an unlikely response.
Maybe when everyone in Canada and even the US media were calling for Carlyle's head, including former players, it was time to listen. Whether Murray made the decision himself or he was pressured by ownership, the decision had to be made.
Boudreau never even had to go to the unemployment office. After being fired on Monday, the Ducks apparently obtained permission to talk with Boudreau, a sign something was brewing. Boudreau was already signed with the Ducks to replace Carlyle when the coaching change came on Wednesday evening after the Ducks win over Montreal, their first in 19 long miserable days.
The media, having been alerted to an announcement coming late after the game, were thinking it was Bobby Ryan who had been traded. No one saw the coaching change coming.
Teemu Selanne, who has had a difficult time being positive during the latest Ducks struggles, was as surprised as everyone.
"This came as a big shock,” Selanne told a Finnish magazine after the morning skate. ”I feel sorry for him, also behalf of myself. The business is tough sometimes. I’m very grateful for the coaching staff for them giving me an opportunity to get a silver lining to my career. After all, we won a Stanley Cup together. All of the guys have been very important for my career, especially Randy. He gave me an opportunity after my reconstructive knee surgery, even though I was an older guy."
Most importantly, Selanne sees the coaching change as an opportunity to move forward.
"All I can hope is that this will rejuvenate the team. It’s sad that a wake-up call like this has to be made, before we get back on track.”
After just one practice, the Ducks appear to be on a new track, one that needed to be explored. There won't be much time for adjustment before the Ducks play Philadelphia on Friday, but you can be sure, the Ducks are going to be a much livelier team. It's about time.
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Bruce Boudreau wasted no time in getting to know his new team and conducted his first practice at Anaheim Ice.
What a breath of fresh air!
Perhaps the best description of the new paradigm shift in Anaheim would be to describe the final act by the Ducks. All the players had to gather around the goaltender in a semi circle and shoot pucks at the net. If the puck was stopped, they had to try again. But if the puck went in the net, they could head off the ice and to the dressing room. Before heading off, they were to chuck their sticks and throw their gloves in reckless abandon on the ice.
Lighthearted fun? Absolutely. Symbolic of shedding the baggage and getting rid of the weight that has burdened them this past month? Without a doubt.
The energy of the players was a marked improvement under the new eye of Boudreau. There was a jump in their step. There were smiles on their faces. They were trying to get their minds around a new way of approaching their hockey game.
It seemed freeing, and it was not just the gloves and sticks that were being abandoned. It was everything about the old way of doing things.
Bobby Ryan certainly had plenty to smile about. He was back on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. For now, the rumors about trading him seem to be quieter and less grounded in reality. The idea that the Ducks would have traded their proven 30 goal scorer before hiring a new coach seemed utterly ridiculous, but not unlikely given GM Bob Murray's track record.
Despite backing Carlyle, come hell or high water, and both had arrived in Anaheim with horrible play by the team, Murray did the unfathomable. He fired Carlyle. And the rest of the coaching staff. To most people, it was the logical response. With Murray, it was an unlikely response.
Maybe when everyone in Canada and even the US media were calling for Carlyle's head, including former players, it was time to listen. Whether Murray made the decision himself or he was pressured by ownership, the decision had to be made.
Boudreau never even had to go to the unemployment office. After being fired on Monday, the Ducks apparently obtained permission to talk with Boudreau, a sign something was brewing. Boudreau was already signed with the Ducks to replace Carlyle when the coaching change came on Wednesday evening after the Ducks win over Montreal, their first in 19 long miserable days.
The media, having been alerted to an announcement coming late after the game, were thinking it was Bobby Ryan who had been traded. No one saw the coaching change coming.
Teemu Selanne, who has had a difficult time being positive during the latest Ducks struggles, was as surprised as everyone.
"This came as a big shock,” Selanne told a Finnish magazine after the morning skate. ”I feel sorry for him, also behalf of myself. The business is tough sometimes. I’m very grateful for the coaching staff for them giving me an opportunity to get a silver lining to my career. After all, we won a Stanley Cup together. All of the guys have been very important for my career, especially Randy. He gave me an opportunity after my reconstructive knee surgery, even though I was an older guy."
Most importantly, Selanne sees the coaching change as an opportunity to move forward.
"All I can hope is that this will rejuvenate the team. It’s sad that a wake-up call like this has to be made, before we get back on track.”
After just one practice, the Ducks appear to be on a new track, one that needed to be explored. There won't be much time for adjustment before the Ducks play Philadelphia on Friday, but you can be sure, the Ducks are going to be a much livelier team. It's about time.
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File this under things I did not expect to see.
Coach Randy Carlyle is coach no longer of the Anaheim Ducks. After earning an extension and continued praise from General Manager Bob Murray, who insisted players would go before Carlyle, the unimaginable finally happened.
After a 4-1 victory over Montreal, only their second victory in the month of November, Carlyle got the axe. As did his assistants, Dave Farrish and Nick Foligno. Video coach Joe Trotta also gets to collect unemployment benefits. Carlyle had been head coach since 2005, one of the longer tenured coaches in the NHL.
"This was an extremely difficult decision," said Murray in a prepared statement. "Randy is a terrific head coach and did a tremendous job for us for six-plus seasons. We thank him greatly for his hard work and dedication to our franchise, not the least of which was a Stanley Cup championship. At this time, we simply felt a new voice was needed. Bruce is a proven winner with a great track record, and we are optimistic we can turn this season around under his leadership."
Bruce is Bruce Boudreau, who was fired on Monday from the Washington Capitals.
Let's see if Boudreau can help the Ducks stay facing in the right direction that they turned this evening. And let's certainly hope there is no swear jar, because Boudreau will fill that thing up before he even arrives in Anaheim.
Boudreau will be heading up Thursday practice at Anaheim Ice at 11:00am, with a press conference to follow.
A Ducks win and they fired the coach. Yes, the world is truly coming to an end. no comments
Coach Randy Carlyle is coach no longer of the Anaheim Ducks. After earning an extension and continued praise from General Manager Bob Murray, who insisted players would go before Carlyle, the unimaginable finally happened.
After a 4-1 victory over Montreal, only their second victory in the month of November, Carlyle got the axe. As did his assistants, Dave Farrish and Nick Foligno. Video coach Joe Trotta also gets to collect unemployment benefits. Carlyle had been head coach since 2005, one of the longer tenured coaches in the NHL.
"This was an extremely difficult decision," said Murray in a prepared statement. "Randy is a terrific head coach and did a tremendous job for us for six-plus seasons. We thank him greatly for his hard work and dedication to our franchise, not the least of which was a Stanley Cup championship. At this time, we simply felt a new voice was needed. Bruce is a proven winner with a great track record, and we are optimistic we can turn this season around under his leadership."
Bruce is Bruce Boudreau, who was fired on Monday from the Washington Capitals.
Let's see if Boudreau can help the Ducks stay facing in the right direction that they turned this evening. And let's certainly hope there is no swear jar, because Boudreau will fill that thing up before he even arrives in Anaheim.
Boudreau will be heading up Thursday practice at Anaheim Ice at 11:00am, with a press conference to follow.
A Ducks win and they fired the coach. Yes, the world is truly coming to an end. no comments
A victory for the Ducks over the Canadiens was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny baby step for Anaheim. After seven losses in a row, the Ducks desperately needed a victory to keep any semblance of morale amongst the team. They got the boost they needed against Montreal and hopefully the momentum they need to put Nightmare November (or Miserable Movember) behind them and delve into a (God willing) Delightful December.
The Canadiens scored first, which has been the kiss of death for Anaheim. Their record for the season when the opposition nets the first one? 0-10. That is right folks. If the other team scored first, your chances were excellent that you could turn off the tv at that point or just exit the building and avoid the traffic going home, because nothing was going to change.
On Wednesday night, the Ducks finally did the improbable. They overcame the initial deficit and went on to win.
Teemu Selanne was the culprit in the Canadiens first goal. Turning over the puck at the blue line, Tomas Plekanec happily took the gift and made the perfect pass to Andrei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn said "thank you very much" and put it in the net behind Hiller at 3:10 of the first period.
The Ducks followed that up with some time in the penalty box. Never a good idea when you are already behind in the game.
Rather than continue to implode, the Ducks had some decent penalty killing, a few good saves by Hiller and with less than a minute to go in the period they tied up the game. Ryan Getzlaf broke a 14 game scoreless streak with a goal at 19:41. Just as Plekanec had executed the perfect pass to Kostitsyn, Corey Perry made an equally flawless pass to Getzlaf in front of the net.
How good did that feel for the Captain, who had been bearing the brunt of a lot of criticism of late for perceived lack of leadership?
"It is nice to get the monkey off his back and get him going again," said Perry. "We need him to score big goals and he did that tonight."
Apparently in a pact to make sure the penalty boxes remained warm and cozy with bodies, both teams continued to make sure the seats did not go vacant for long.
Devante Smith-Pelly gave the Ducks the lead on the power play at 6:26 of the middle frame. It was Smith-Pelly's second goal of his career, first on the power play, and a bigger smile could not have been had from the 19 year old. Considering that his first goal had been a tip in off his knee that was not even credited until after the game ended, this goal felt more like the first time, and it could not have come at a better time.
In the third period, Perry added another power play tally at 2:55 to make it 3-1. You know Ducks fans were wondering what was going to go wrong at that point.
Nothing went wrong. In fact, it was the Canadiens who decided to parade into the penalty box rather than make a concerted effort to come back in the game.
The final joy for the Ducks was Niklas Hagman getting an empty net goal to seal the deal at 18:31. 4-1 Ducks and assured of a win at that point.
Maybe it was a good thing the Canadiens put Peter Budaj in goal instead of Carey Price. Maybe it was a good thing that Montreal struggled. But it was a better thing that the Ducks maintained their composure, stayed the course, and did not veer from it.
They needed a win. Something to build upon. Something to gain confidence from and take with them to the next game.
"It's a frustrating thing," said Getzlaf. "It's one of those things where you're working and working and working and not getting the results that you need. This is the first time I'd ever been through something like that. We're going to take tonight and enjoy this one and get back to work."
Back to work is tomorrow morning at practice in preparation for the next game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Can the Ducks make it two in a row after having won only one game in the previous 14? Can this truly be a righting of the ship?
Regardless, like those slot machines in Las Vegas, the way they keep coming back is by paying out from time to time. A win from the Ducks is like a payout that might keep you watching. Anaheim was beginning to look like a dud machine in a casino that was never going to give you any coins back. Ever. It was very satisfying to know that they aren't quite dead yet. They got better.
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The Canadiens scored first, which has been the kiss of death for Anaheim. Their record for the season when the opposition nets the first one? 0-10. That is right folks. If the other team scored first, your chances were excellent that you could turn off the tv at that point or just exit the building and avoid the traffic going home, because nothing was going to change.
On Wednesday night, the Ducks finally did the improbable. They overcame the initial deficit and went on to win.
Teemu Selanne was the culprit in the Canadiens first goal. Turning over the puck at the blue line, Tomas Plekanec happily took the gift and made the perfect pass to Andrei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn said "thank you very much" and put it in the net behind Hiller at 3:10 of the first period.
The Ducks followed that up with some time in the penalty box. Never a good idea when you are already behind in the game.
Rather than continue to implode, the Ducks had some decent penalty killing, a few good saves by Hiller and with less than a minute to go in the period they tied up the game. Ryan Getzlaf broke a 14 game scoreless streak with a goal at 19:41. Just as Plekanec had executed the perfect pass to Kostitsyn, Corey Perry made an equally flawless pass to Getzlaf in front of the net.
How good did that feel for the Captain, who had been bearing the brunt of a lot of criticism of late for perceived lack of leadership?
"It is nice to get the monkey off his back and get him going again," said Perry. "We need him to score big goals and he did that tonight."
Apparently in a pact to make sure the penalty boxes remained warm and cozy with bodies, both teams continued to make sure the seats did not go vacant for long.
Devante Smith-Pelly gave the Ducks the lead on the power play at 6:26 of the middle frame. It was Smith-Pelly's second goal of his career, first on the power play, and a bigger smile could not have been had from the 19 year old. Considering that his first goal had been a tip in off his knee that was not even credited until after the game ended, this goal felt more like the first time, and it could not have come at a better time.
In the third period, Perry added another power play tally at 2:55 to make it 3-1. You know Ducks fans were wondering what was going to go wrong at that point.
Nothing went wrong. In fact, it was the Canadiens who decided to parade into the penalty box rather than make a concerted effort to come back in the game.
The final joy for the Ducks was Niklas Hagman getting an empty net goal to seal the deal at 18:31. 4-1 Ducks and assured of a win at that point.
Maybe it was a good thing the Canadiens put Peter Budaj in goal instead of Carey Price. Maybe it was a good thing that Montreal struggled. But it was a better thing that the Ducks maintained their composure, stayed the course, and did not veer from it.
They needed a win. Something to build upon. Something to gain confidence from and take with them to the next game.
"It's a frustrating thing," said Getzlaf. "It's one of those things where you're working and working and working and not getting the results that you need. This is the first time I'd ever been through something like that. We're going to take tonight and enjoy this one and get back to work."
Back to work is tomorrow morning at practice in preparation for the next game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Can the Ducks make it two in a row after having won only one game in the previous 14? Can this truly be a righting of the ship?
Regardless, like those slot machines in Las Vegas, the way they keep coming back is by paying out from time to time. A win from the Ducks is like a payout that might keep you watching. Anaheim was beginning to look like a dud machine in a casino that was never going to give you any coins back. Ever. It was very satisfying to know that they aren't quite dead yet. They got better.
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There is an old definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Right about now, both Ducks fans and the Anaheim Ducks team are completely, certifiably insane.
Ducks fans are insane because they keep showing up (or watching) games, expecting a win every time. They figure the losing streak has to end sometime, and yet the results are the same every single time. Loss. Loss. Loss. Gluttons for punishment, they can't seem to stop hoping.
The team itself is equally insane - from the top level of management all the way down to the fourth line.
The Ducks continue to play the same system, refuse to play a full 60 minutes of hockey, talk until they are blue in the face, commit the same errors that prove costly time and time again, and cannot dig themselves out of a hole to save their lives. Yet they keep showing up to the games and proceed to hope for rather than create a victory.
Management is nuts because they continue to believe that it is the personnel and personnel alone that is contributing to the poor play on the ice. Yes, every single one of those team members has a personal responsibility for their actions on the ice and how they play. However, like an orchestra, someone has to conduct them or you get a cacophony of noise, no matter the talent level of each individual musician.
Clearly GM Bob Murray has replaced the people whom he obtained to replace the people that he had alrady replaced. And Murray has blatantly (annually) stated he is not getting rid of Randy Carlyle, ever, during his tenure with Anaheim.
Yes, Carlyle helped the Ducks achieve a Stanley Cup. But how many other coaches have helped their teams win the Stanley Cup, yet they are no longer coaching those teams? Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
The latest Anaheim loss, a 5-2 debacle to the Toronto Maple Leafs, was no different than the other losses suffered by Anaheim since mid October. Since October 17, the end of a four game winning streak, the Ducks have won two games. They have had 12 losses and 4 overtime losses. One of the two games, on November 11 versus the Vancouver Canucks, felt like a loss despite the final results. With the way the Ducks played in the final period of that game, they should have lost that one, too.
The past three games the Ducks have been scoring first, but to no avail. The opposing team (fill in the blank for the name) comes back and takes the lead, often in a short period of time, and the Ducks might as well get off the ice and concede defeat. Insanely, they continue to skate, pull the goaltender for an extra attacker to try to score more goals than they have for the whole game in less than a minute, then shake their heads when things are not any different at the final buzzer.
"We just seem to be dead between the ears," Carlyle said. "We're not thinking. We're not reading. Then it seems we pile on extra work for ourselves from our lack of execution by making a pass to a guy who is covered or an ill-advised pass where the opposition has a player in a position to block the pass that we make. It turns into defensive zone coverage for 35-40 seconds. It's mind boggling some of the plays we're trying to make."
In the game against Toronto, Francois Beauchemin gave brief hope to the Ducks by scoring on the power play at 9:51 of the first period. Less than five minutes later, all hope was dashed. Tyler Bozak and Clarke MacArthur scored :19 seconds apart to give the Leafs the lead. The rest of the game was an exercise in futility for Anaheim.
Joey Crabb made it 3-1 at 2:36 of the second period, and Bozak promptly got his second of the game at :47 seconds into the final period.
Corey Perry's goal at 5:38 seemed hollow and meaningless and it was no surprise that the Leafs added an empty net goal with seconds remaining. Was there anyone left at the Honda Center in the stands who was an Anaheim fan? And if so, should their heads be examined?
Nothing changes and the Ducks continue to trudge in a downward spiral that even has Teemu Selanne sounding a wee bit depressed.
"It seems to me that nothing works," Selanne opined. "When things go bad, they really go bad. We try to stay positive and try to find some bright sides. I don't really see any bright sides. It's just unbelievable."
Unbelievable indeed. Something has to change. Something has to happen.
The Carolina Hurricanes fired their coach, as did the Washington Capitals. The Ducks? They sent Brandon McMillan back to Syracuse. He might actually be grateful to be out of Anaheim and in the AHL.
In the meantime, the Ducks do nothing and nothing changes. Next chance to see an opposing team's victory is Wednesday when another Canadian Original 6 team comes to town in the shape of the Montreal Canadiens. Chances are good you do not have to spend good money on tickets (unless you want to see the Canadiens in person) or the electricity for your TV to know the results. Another Ducks loss with some moments of promise thrown in here and there, peppered by more of the same mundane efforts.
The Ducks have lost their heart. There isn't any wizard in sight available to restore it any time soon. What a sad commentary to a season only one fourth of the way complete. no comments
Ducks fans are insane because they keep showing up (or watching) games, expecting a win every time. They figure the losing streak has to end sometime, and yet the results are the same every single time. Loss. Loss. Loss. Gluttons for punishment, they can't seem to stop hoping.
The team itself is equally insane - from the top level of management all the way down to the fourth line.
The Ducks continue to play the same system, refuse to play a full 60 minutes of hockey, talk until they are blue in the face, commit the same errors that prove costly time and time again, and cannot dig themselves out of a hole to save their lives. Yet they keep showing up to the games and proceed to hope for rather than create a victory.
Management is nuts because they continue to believe that it is the personnel and personnel alone that is contributing to the poor play on the ice. Yes, every single one of those team members has a personal responsibility for their actions on the ice and how they play. However, like an orchestra, someone has to conduct them or you get a cacophony of noise, no matter the talent level of each individual musician.
Clearly GM Bob Murray has replaced the people whom he obtained to replace the people that he had alrady replaced. And Murray has blatantly (annually) stated he is not getting rid of Randy Carlyle, ever, during his tenure with Anaheim.
Yes, Carlyle helped the Ducks achieve a Stanley Cup. But how many other coaches have helped their teams win the Stanley Cup, yet they are no longer coaching those teams? Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
The latest Anaheim loss, a 5-2 debacle to the Toronto Maple Leafs, was no different than the other losses suffered by Anaheim since mid October. Since October 17, the end of a four game winning streak, the Ducks have won two games. They have had 12 losses and 4 overtime losses. One of the two games, on November 11 versus the Vancouver Canucks, felt like a loss despite the final results. With the way the Ducks played in the final period of that game, they should have lost that one, too.
The past three games the Ducks have been scoring first, but to no avail. The opposing team (fill in the blank for the name) comes back and takes the lead, often in a short period of time, and the Ducks might as well get off the ice and concede defeat. Insanely, they continue to skate, pull the goaltender for an extra attacker to try to score more goals than they have for the whole game in less than a minute, then shake their heads when things are not any different at the final buzzer.
"We just seem to be dead between the ears," Carlyle said. "We're not thinking. We're not reading. Then it seems we pile on extra work for ourselves from our lack of execution by making a pass to a guy who is covered or an ill-advised pass where the opposition has a player in a position to block the pass that we make. It turns into defensive zone coverage for 35-40 seconds. It's mind boggling some of the plays we're trying to make."
In the game against Toronto, Francois Beauchemin gave brief hope to the Ducks by scoring on the power play at 9:51 of the first period. Less than five minutes later, all hope was dashed. Tyler Bozak and Clarke MacArthur scored :19 seconds apart to give the Leafs the lead. The rest of the game was an exercise in futility for Anaheim.
Joey Crabb made it 3-1 at 2:36 of the second period, and Bozak promptly got his second of the game at :47 seconds into the final period.
Corey Perry's goal at 5:38 seemed hollow and meaningless and it was no surprise that the Leafs added an empty net goal with seconds remaining. Was there anyone left at the Honda Center in the stands who was an Anaheim fan? And if so, should their heads be examined?
Nothing changes and the Ducks continue to trudge in a downward spiral that even has Teemu Selanne sounding a wee bit depressed.
"It seems to me that nothing works," Selanne opined. "When things go bad, they really go bad. We try to stay positive and try to find some bright sides. I don't really see any bright sides. It's just unbelievable."
Unbelievable indeed. Something has to change. Something has to happen.
The Carolina Hurricanes fired their coach, as did the Washington Capitals. The Ducks? They sent Brandon McMillan back to Syracuse. He might actually be grateful to be out of Anaheim and in the AHL.
In the meantime, the Ducks do nothing and nothing changes. Next chance to see an opposing team's victory is Wednesday when another Canadian Original 6 team comes to town in the shape of the Montreal Canadiens. Chances are good you do not have to spend good money on tickets (unless you want to see the Canadiens in person) or the electricity for your TV to know the results. Another Ducks loss with some moments of promise thrown in here and there, peppered by more of the same mundane efforts.
The Ducks have lost their heart. There isn't any wizard in sight available to restore it any time soon. What a sad commentary to a season only one fourth of the way complete. no comments
Just when you think the Ducks are taking baby steps forward, they can't quite move far enough ahead to win a game. Instead, the inability to recover when the slightest adversity hits continues to plague Anaheim. The latest loss, 6-5 to the Chicago Blackhawks, proves that point.
The Ducks, who have been slow to get going, have managed to score first for the past two games. Not only did they score first, they had the lead going into the second period (and third period as well). Definitely progress.
A hard check on Niklas Hjalmarsson from Corey Perry dislodged the puck and led to the first goal of the game at 1:14 from Bobby Ryan. Ryan is playing with a hip contusion, a fancy word for a bruise, that he got playing against Phoenix on Wednesday.
When is the last time we heard bodies crunching along the boards at the Honda Center? Too long, but a return to some physical play certainly gave the Ducks a boost.
Andrew Cogliano extended the Ducks lead at 2:13. Corey Crawford could not control the puck and the subsequent rebound was easily handled by Cogliano, who has been a rare bright spot for the Ducks.
Chicago, who had been on a three game losing streak, finally rebounded from their slow start and go the scoring started on their side with Patrick Sharp's first of three goals at 6:09.
Anaheim looked good and continued to press on. Teemu Selanne got his 8th goal of the year on the power play at 14:36 and things appeared hopeful.
Dave Bolland took opportunity of a Blackhawks power play and brought Chicago back within one goal again at 17:38. In an amusing turn, one of the multitude of Hawks fans proceeded to take his phone and play the Chicago goal song for those around him. The same fan later in the game suggested the Ducks use the flying V, prompting one to contemplate a phone app to silence smartasses.
The Ducks came really close to scoring in the final seconds of the first period, but ended the first 20 minutes ahead, 3-2.
However, a hockey game is a full 60 minutes, and one good period does not a game make.
In the second period, Jonas Hiller got bonked on the mask with another puck. He seems to be a puck magnet there. And then the Ducks started to discover the penalty box. Chicago, who was pouring it on, a sign of things to come, did not allow much activity in the Hawks end. Ryan did get goal #2 of the game at 8:41, only the second shot on goal for the Ducks in the middle frame.
Being outshot 26-17 by the end of the second period should have been a stern warning to Anaheim. Not to mention the shot that hit the post with barely one minute left.
It should not have been such a surprise that Chicago rapidly eviscerated the 4-2 lead that the Ducks held going into the third period.
At 1:04 Jonathan Toews brought Chicago back within one. At 1:32, Sharp got his second of the evening to tie the game. At 3:33 the rest of the world caved in for the Ducks as Sharp finished his hat trick and gave the Hawks their first lead of the game.
Hiller was out. Dan Ellis was in.
The Ducks could never recover, unable to deal with even the slightest adversity.
"They dominated the third period," was Ryan's accurate assessment of Chicago. "We came out in the third and it was two (goals) within, what, a minute? You could almost feel the tempo change on the bench and guys got down. That's a sign of a team that's been accepting it for a little while. It's heartbreaking. If you could put your finger on it, it would be easier to get out of it."
Another power play goal from Toews at 9:22 gave Chicago the insurance marker they wanted and the looks on the Ducks' faces said it all.
Never one to surrender, coach Randy Carlyle pulled Ellis for the extra attacker, which usually means another goal for the opposition. Instead the Ducks were able to send fans home with the chance to drown their sorrows at Hooters with free wings.
Perry made it 6-5 with a mere 7.2 seconds remaining. Not enough time to tie up the game, but at least a positive note to end on.
"(I'm) speechless," Hiller said after the game. "It seems like we're almost afraid to (win)."
More like afraid that they are never going to win again.
Toronto comes to town on Sunday, so it does not get any easier for the Ducks. What they really need is an easy game (is there ever such a thing?) where things go their way and the other team implodes by taking the Ducks for granted. A single win would do a lot for morale.
IN OTHER NOTES: Maxime Macenauer and Kurtis Foster were benched for tonight's game. Matt Beleskey, who cleared waivers earlier this week, was inserted into the line up.
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The Ducks, who have been slow to get going, have managed to score first for the past two games. Not only did they score first, they had the lead going into the second period (and third period as well). Definitely progress.
A hard check on Niklas Hjalmarsson from Corey Perry dislodged the puck and led to the first goal of the game at 1:14 from Bobby Ryan. Ryan is playing with a hip contusion, a fancy word for a bruise, that he got playing against Phoenix on Wednesday.
When is the last time we heard bodies crunching along the boards at the Honda Center? Too long, but a return to some physical play certainly gave the Ducks a boost.
Andrew Cogliano extended the Ducks lead at 2:13. Corey Crawford could not control the puck and the subsequent rebound was easily handled by Cogliano, who has been a rare bright spot for the Ducks.
Chicago, who had been on a three game losing streak, finally rebounded from their slow start and go the scoring started on their side with Patrick Sharp's first of three goals at 6:09.
Anaheim looked good and continued to press on. Teemu Selanne got his 8th goal of the year on the power play at 14:36 and things appeared hopeful.
Dave Bolland took opportunity of a Blackhawks power play and brought Chicago back within one goal again at 17:38. In an amusing turn, one of the multitude of Hawks fans proceeded to take his phone and play the Chicago goal song for those around him. The same fan later in the game suggested the Ducks use the flying V, prompting one to contemplate a phone app to silence smartasses.
The Ducks came really close to scoring in the final seconds of the first period, but ended the first 20 minutes ahead, 3-2.
However, a hockey game is a full 60 minutes, and one good period does not a game make.
In the second period, Jonas Hiller got bonked on the mask with another puck. He seems to be a puck magnet there. And then the Ducks started to discover the penalty box. Chicago, who was pouring it on, a sign of things to come, did not allow much activity in the Hawks end. Ryan did get goal #2 of the game at 8:41, only the second shot on goal for the Ducks in the middle frame.
Being outshot 26-17 by the end of the second period should have been a stern warning to Anaheim. Not to mention the shot that hit the post with barely one minute left.
It should not have been such a surprise that Chicago rapidly eviscerated the 4-2 lead that the Ducks held going into the third period.
At 1:04 Jonathan Toews brought Chicago back within one. At 1:32, Sharp got his second of the evening to tie the game. At 3:33 the rest of the world caved in for the Ducks as Sharp finished his hat trick and gave the Hawks their first lead of the game.
Hiller was out. Dan Ellis was in.
The Ducks could never recover, unable to deal with even the slightest adversity.
"They dominated the third period," was Ryan's accurate assessment of Chicago. "We came out in the third and it was two (goals) within, what, a minute? You could almost feel the tempo change on the bench and guys got down. That's a sign of a team that's been accepting it for a little while. It's heartbreaking. If you could put your finger on it, it would be easier to get out of it."
Another power play goal from Toews at 9:22 gave Chicago the insurance marker they wanted and the looks on the Ducks' faces said it all.
Never one to surrender, coach Randy Carlyle pulled Ellis for the extra attacker, which usually means another goal for the opposition. Instead the Ducks were able to send fans home with the chance to drown their sorrows at Hooters with free wings.
Perry made it 6-5 with a mere 7.2 seconds remaining. Not enough time to tie up the game, but at least a positive note to end on.
"(I'm) speechless," Hiller said after the game. "It seems like we're almost afraid to (win)."
More like afraid that they are never going to win again.
Toronto comes to town on Sunday, so it does not get any easier for the Ducks. What they really need is an easy game (is there ever such a thing?) where things go their way and the other team implodes by taking the Ducks for granted. A single win would do a lot for morale.
IN OTHER NOTES: Maxime Macenauer and Kurtis Foster were benched for tonight's game. Matt Beleskey, who cleared waivers earlier this week, was inserted into the line up.
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If a team wins in Phoenix, does anyone know?
The announced attendance was just over 9,000, and you know they don't all show up. Then again, even if it weren't Phoenix, there would not be much reason to show up to watch the Anaheim Ducks play hockey. Unless you are the opposing team.
With a 4-2 defeat to add to the growing list of losses, you can bet that every single team has Anaheim circled on their calendar. Who wouldn't?
At least in Wednesday's game the Ducks scored first, something they have not been able to accomplish in quite a while. But it still meant nothing in the overall scheme of things.
Saku Koivu's goal at 5:44 of the first period almost gave Ducks fans a glimmer of hope and something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
No such luck.
The Coyotes tied up the game thanks to a goal from Keith Yandle at 13:13, his second of the year, both of them coming against the Ducks. Radim Vrbata gave the Coyotes the lead at 16:50 with a power play goal, thanks to a dumb penalty from Luca Sbisa.
Vrbata's second goal came late in the second period, a breakaway at 17:31. 3-1 Coyotes. Well. You knew where this one was headed after that.
Phoenix made it 4-1 with a goal from Oliver Ekman-Larsson at 4:27 of the third period. The puck ping ponged just about every single player in front of the net before going in behind Jonas Hiller.
Corey Perry made good on his second breakaway of the game at 13:03, but that was as close as the Ducks came.
What more can be said that has not already been said?
Teemu Selanne, after a morning practice back at the Honda Center, was his usual glass is half full self.
“You know, nobody died,” said Selanne. “We still have to realize how lucky we are. We have to use the passion and fun to (fix) this problem right now. There’s no other way. You can’t just cry and cry and cry. You just have to find a way to do this together.”
How appropriate that on this Thanksgiving, the Anaheim Ducks are one big turkey.
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The announced attendance was just over 9,000, and you know they don't all show up. Then again, even if it weren't Phoenix, there would not be much reason to show up to watch the Anaheim Ducks play hockey. Unless you are the opposing team.
With a 4-2 defeat to add to the growing list of losses, you can bet that every single team has Anaheim circled on their calendar. Who wouldn't?
At least in Wednesday's game the Ducks scored first, something they have not been able to accomplish in quite a while. But it still meant nothing in the overall scheme of things.
Saku Koivu's goal at 5:44 of the first period almost gave Ducks fans a glimmer of hope and something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
No such luck.
The Coyotes tied up the game thanks to a goal from Keith Yandle at 13:13, his second of the year, both of them coming against the Ducks. Radim Vrbata gave the Coyotes the lead at 16:50 with a power play goal, thanks to a dumb penalty from Luca Sbisa.
Vrbata's second goal came late in the second period, a breakaway at 17:31. 3-1 Coyotes. Well. You knew where this one was headed after that.
Phoenix made it 4-1 with a goal from Oliver Ekman-Larsson at 4:27 of the third period. The puck ping ponged just about every single player in front of the net before going in behind Jonas Hiller.
Corey Perry made good on his second breakaway of the game at 13:03, but that was as close as the Ducks came.
What more can be said that has not already been said?
Teemu Selanne, after a morning practice back at the Honda Center, was his usual glass is half full self.
“You know, nobody died,” said Selanne. “We still have to realize how lucky we are. We have to use the passion and fun to (fix) this problem right now. There’s no other way. You can’t just cry and cry and cry. You just have to find a way to do this together.”
Would that it were that easy!
The only teams worse than the Ducks in the NHL are the New York Islanders and the Columbus Blue Jackets. If they can piece together a couple of wins, they'll also put Anaheim behind them and having the first overall draft pick in June looks better and better.How appropriate that on this Thanksgiving, the Anaheim Ducks are one big turkey.
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Twenty games down, just 62 more occasions of ineptitude, errors and eventual losses before the season ends.
After yet another loss, this one a 4-2 fiasco against the Detroit Red Wings, the Anaheim Ducks are looker lamer by the minute. 6-10-4 in the first quarter and only two teams with worse records in the entire NHL.
Number one draft pick, here we come?
The Red Wings played the Kings the night before, defeating Los Angeles. However, instead of putting in the back up goaltender, the Red Wings continued to use Jimmy Howard for the second consecutive night. They really did not need him until midway through the second period, which is when the Ducks finally realized they were in a hockey game.
Of course by that time, it was 3-0 Red Wings and the term "technical difficulties" did not just refer to the power outage in period one.
It only took 1:26 for the Ducks fate to be sealed when Henrik Zetterberg basically undressed Brandon McMillan and put the puck in behind Jonas Hiller.
After trekking through a downpour of rain, Ducks fans were less than enthused. Wings fans? Always happy to be at the Honda Center.
The Red Wings were on their first power play when perhaps the hockey gods felt that something needed to be done. Out go the lights. For the second game in a row. Unlike Thursday, when they could not reset the full lights before the start of the third period, only some of the lights went out. Those in the middle section, the jumbotron and one half of the press box. Weird stuff.
While it took 17 minutes to correct the problem on Thursday, both teams headed off to the locker room for a 26 minute break. That will disrupt any momentum you had going on the power play. Cause of the outage? Unknown, but city related, probable due to weather. Perhaps the Ducks should consider a flashlight promotion.
When things came back on fully, period 1.5 began. If the hockey gods were trying to give Anaheim a reset, it seemed to work. Somewhat. The Red Wings did not score for the remainder of the period.
Instead, they scored :14 seconds into the next frame, with a goal from Johan Franzen. Brad Stuart made it 3-0 at 7:10 as things went from bad to worse.
By the middle of the second period, the Ducks had been outshot 20-6 and Howard could have used a newspaper to catch up on current events.
It was a good thing he didn't have one, but you cannot fault Howard for not being in the zone when Saku Koivu turned on the jets and put one past the goaltender at 11:24. The goal was the first shot on goal for that period.
In a sudden turn, the Ducks had nearly gotten on the board again at 13:00. The puck seemed to go over the line, but the goal was waived off by the referees. After the play stopped, the play was reviewed and they needed irrefutable evidence that the puck crossed the line for it to count. The puck was in Howard's glove and his glove went over the line. The question was where was the puck in the glove? Did it fully cross the line itself? Because that information was unknown, the call on the ice could not be overruled and it was still 3-1.
A power play, their second of the night, did yield goal number two for Anaheim. Teemu Selanne was able to bat in a loose puck at 16:21 and suddenly the hole they had dug seemed conquerable.
As the Ducks continued to play the way they should have all evening, it appeared once more that a puck went in the net. But would it count? Of course not! A penalty was called on Devante Smith-Pelly right before the puck went in at 19:16. No goal, which would have tied the game.
The Ducks headed to the locker room having outshot the Red Wings in the final half of the period 12-1. If they could keep that up in the third, there just might be a chance that the Ducks could win their first game without having scored first.
And if you believe that they could do that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn. Contact me for purchase information.
The Ducks were not without their chances, and just like on Thursday night, they got a late power play. Just like Thursday night, they pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker to make it 6 on 4. Just like Thursday night the opposing team cleared the puck and landed it right into the empty net for a short handed goal. This time it was Stuart's second of the game.
Game over.
"We made enough mistakes that cost us the hockey game," said coach Randy Carlyle. "There is no other way to describe it. We again mounted a comeback in the hockey game, but it just seems that we’re one goal short again."
So where do they go from here? Besides Phoenix, that is, for a road game on Wednesday night?
"It’s not a matter of what I can say now," said captain Ryan Getzlaf. "We are in a situation where we have to play ourselves out of it and that includes me. I just have to keep playing and we have to lead by example. Our group here, who I have been with for a little while, we have a great core of leaders and we just have to keep pushing."
Only 62 more pushes to go and then yours (and our) misery can be over for the year.
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After yet another loss, this one a 4-2 fiasco against the Detroit Red Wings, the Anaheim Ducks are looker lamer by the minute. 6-10-4 in the first quarter and only two teams with worse records in the entire NHL.
Number one draft pick, here we come?
The Red Wings played the Kings the night before, defeating Los Angeles. However, instead of putting in the back up goaltender, the Red Wings continued to use Jimmy Howard for the second consecutive night. They really did not need him until midway through the second period, which is when the Ducks finally realized they were in a hockey game.
Of course by that time, it was 3-0 Red Wings and the term "technical difficulties" did not just refer to the power outage in period one.
It only took 1:26 for the Ducks fate to be sealed when Henrik Zetterberg basically undressed Brandon McMillan and put the puck in behind Jonas Hiller.
After trekking through a downpour of rain, Ducks fans were less than enthused. Wings fans? Always happy to be at the Honda Center.
The Red Wings were on their first power play when perhaps the hockey gods felt that something needed to be done. Out go the lights. For the second game in a row. Unlike Thursday, when they could not reset the full lights before the start of the third period, only some of the lights went out. Those in the middle section, the jumbotron and one half of the press box. Weird stuff.
While it took 17 minutes to correct the problem on Thursday, both teams headed off to the locker room for a 26 minute break. That will disrupt any momentum you had going on the power play. Cause of the outage? Unknown, but city related, probable due to weather. Perhaps the Ducks should consider a flashlight promotion.
When things came back on fully, period 1.5 began. If the hockey gods were trying to give Anaheim a reset, it seemed to work. Somewhat. The Red Wings did not score for the remainder of the period.
Instead, they scored :14 seconds into the next frame, with a goal from Johan Franzen. Brad Stuart made it 3-0 at 7:10 as things went from bad to worse.
By the middle of the second period, the Ducks had been outshot 20-6 and Howard could have used a newspaper to catch up on current events.
It was a good thing he didn't have one, but you cannot fault Howard for not being in the zone when Saku Koivu turned on the jets and put one past the goaltender at 11:24. The goal was the first shot on goal for that period.
In a sudden turn, the Ducks had nearly gotten on the board again at 13:00. The puck seemed to go over the line, but the goal was waived off by the referees. After the play stopped, the play was reviewed and they needed irrefutable evidence that the puck crossed the line for it to count. The puck was in Howard's glove and his glove went over the line. The question was where was the puck in the glove? Did it fully cross the line itself? Because that information was unknown, the call on the ice could not be overruled and it was still 3-1.
A power play, their second of the night, did yield goal number two for Anaheim. Teemu Selanne was able to bat in a loose puck at 16:21 and suddenly the hole they had dug seemed conquerable.
As the Ducks continued to play the way they should have all evening, it appeared once more that a puck went in the net. But would it count? Of course not! A penalty was called on Devante Smith-Pelly right before the puck went in at 19:16. No goal, which would have tied the game.
The Ducks headed to the locker room having outshot the Red Wings in the final half of the period 12-1. If they could keep that up in the third, there just might be a chance that the Ducks could win their first game without having scored first.
And if you believe that they could do that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn. Contact me for purchase information.
The Ducks were not without their chances, and just like on Thursday night, they got a late power play. Just like Thursday night, they pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker to make it 6 on 4. Just like Thursday night the opposing team cleared the puck and landed it right into the empty net for a short handed goal. This time it was Stuart's second of the game.
Game over.
"We made enough mistakes that cost us the hockey game," said coach Randy Carlyle. "There is no other way to describe it. We again mounted a comeback in the hockey game, but it just seems that we’re one goal short again."
So where do they go from here? Besides Phoenix, that is, for a road game on Wednesday night?
"It’s not a matter of what I can say now," said captain Ryan Getzlaf. "We are in a situation where we have to play ourselves out of it and that includes me. I just have to keep playing and we have to lead by example. Our group here, who I have been with for a little while, we have a great core of leaders and we just have to keep pushing."
Only 62 more pushes to go and then yours (and our) misery can be over for the year.
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