Game 72: Ducks @ Flames 3.23.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net

Game 61: Ducks @ Flames 2.13.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






OPINION:
For reasons beyond my control, the Ducks just can't figure out road games. I can't explain it, obviously they can't or road games wouldn't be so difficult for them. Tonight it probably didn't help with Getzlaf being out with his sprained ankle. They looked slow, tired, confused, lost, and helpless. The only goal they got this game happened to be a goal nobody even saw happen at first. It took a call to Toronto to confirm that Scott Niedermayer's wicked shot and the deflection from Bodie resulted in a wicked fast goal that had the puck go in and out of the net before you could blink. The good news is they face Edmonton tomorrow, which is a great opportunity for them to go into the Olympic break on a win. The Oilers want to do their best to be SpOilers though, so we'll wait and see.

POST GAME QUOTES:
"Anytime you're not in the goalie's face and screening him and getting those second and third opportunities, then he's having an easy night," Carlyle said. "You're not going to score on many NHL goalies from the blue line if he can see the puck all the time."

"Nobody on our team played to their best level - me included," Hiller said. "I could have stopped at least one of the goals that they scored."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks' Mike Brown, back, collides with Calgary Flames' Curtis Glencross during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010. (Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 49: Ducks vs. Flames 1.17.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
What an emotional roller coaster this game was! Ducks go down 1-0, turn around and make it 3-1, Calgary comes back within a goal at 3-2. And that was all just in the 1st period. 2nd period hasn't been a strong point for the Ducks this season and it showed because they left the 2nd without their lead, trailing 4-3. Going into the 3rd period Calgary was 20-0-1 when leading after 2. However, the Ducks have their own special record. Calgary hasn't beaten Anaheim IN Anaheim since BEFORE the lockout in January of 2004. Needless to say Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan helped the Ducks keep that record alive, a franchise record of 11 games at home beating Calgary. So Calgary's cute little record of 20-0-1 when leading after 2, is now 20-1-1. You're welcome. Bobby Ryan's goal was huge because the game was tied at 4-4 until he scored, and he just took the chance he had and ran with it with a beautiful goal that only a pure goal scorer could pull off. It's not often that a team who scores 3 goals all on break away chances will lose the game (3 of Calgary's 4 goals were from break away opportunities) but it happened tonight. The Ducks had no quit in them or in their vocabulary. Absolutely fantastic game.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"It’s one of those things where we have guys who are big parts of our lineup and different guys just have to step up," Perry said. "We got that tonight."

"Both were firsts," Bodie said of the goal and the hit. "I’ve never dumped anyone in there like that (on dumping Adam Pardy into the Ducks bench during the game). But the goal takes the cake. It’s good that we have everyone contributing. That is what you need. It was a good team game."

"It was nip and tuck, every inch and every bounce," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "It was one those games where in the beginning I thought it might be a 6-5 or 8-7 game. We found a way. Once we got settled down in the third, our big guys delivered for us."

"We knew what was at stake," Perry said. "We’re looking at the standings and we know what is going on. It’s up to us. We have to go out and get every point we can. Those two points are huge for us. It was one of those games where we had to find a way to win."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks' Corey Perry, left, celebrates his goal as Calgary Flames' Eric Nystrom skates off during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010. The Ducks won 5-4. (Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 22: Ducks vs. Flames 11.23.09

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net

PERIOD 1: 2 - 1
PERIOD 2: 2 - 1
PERIOD 3: 2 - 2
OVERTIME: 2 - 2
SHOOTOUT: 3 - 2





OPINION:
I am so glad Jiggy got his first win of the season. Took way too long for him to finally get the W. The Ducks have some great success against the Flames in our barn. 19 and 1 in the past 20 games they have played in our building. Fantastic! And tonight was no exception. This game should NOT have gone to the shootout though, or overtime even. There were a mere 18 seconds left in the 3rd and Calgary tied it up. 18 SECONDS! You have got to be kidding me. Anyways, Giguere wanted the win SO bad and it was pretty fitting that it went to the shootout where it was all up to him if he wanted to take it or not, and boy...he took it. Stopped all 3 attempts while Selanne notched 1 for the Ducks to win the game. It's good to see a win but I'm still looking for a winning streak. Up next: Carolina. After the embarrassment of losing to Toronto, I'm not going to say anything about Carolina except that we face them next and if you are a hockey fan that keeps up with the up and up you know what this means. (The fact that I brought up the Toronto game should be a hint...)

POST GAME QUOTES:
"It wasn’t always pretty," Giguere said, "but we found a way to win. It was a big game for our team. It was a tough play at the end, but we answered back pretty well. We would have liked to win in 60 minutes, but sometimes it takes a little longer."

"We were under siege pretty much for the whole third period and we basically let them come back at us," Carlyle said. "Our goaltender made a bunch of big-league stops to keep the score 2-1. With 18 seconds left, they score a goal where we allowed them to come through the neutral ice and it deflected off our player into the net. The bench was pretty quiet to tell you the truth."

"We are pretty happy with our effort tonight," Getzlaf said. "There was a little breakdown at the end, but overall we played a good hockey game and we played a good team tonight. We were able to pull it out. We got our two points and move forward."

"It’s been a long time, but it feels good to win," Giguere said. "I’ll soak it in here for the next 10 minutes, then move on and think about the next game. I’m really excited we got the win and everybody in the dressing room is. If we it would have gone the other way around, it would have been a pretty big blow to our team."

Source for Quotes:ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 23: Teemu Selanne #8 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates with teammate Jean-Sebastien Giguere #35 goalkeeper after a shootout of the NHL game at the Honda Center on November 23, 2009 in Anaheim, California. Selanne scored the winning goal after a shootout. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)