Game 56: Ducks @ Panthers 2.1.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






OPINION:
Hard to have an opinion on a game that you couldn't see happening. Thanks to Versus and their "exclusive window" on Monday nights, the Ducks/Panthers game wasn't allowed to be televised. This doesn't include Canadian teams, so while there were 4 games last night-- the Penguins game on Versus (as the NHL continues to shove the Pens and Crosby down everyone's throat), and two games that contained Canadian teams, and then the Ducks/Panthers game, the Ducks and Panthers fans were the only ones who got screwed on the Versus exclusive window deal.

We got the lovely radio. I have nothing against our radio broadcasters, they're good. I just have beef with the radio. Hockey has to be one of the hardest games to follow through a radio. So from what it SOUNDED like, the Ducks put forth a solid game. They played the full 60 minutes. The Getzlaf goal was a thing of beauty. Teemu's goal that came with 1/2 a second left in the 2nd period was indeed over the line with half a second left, and Hiller stood on his head to earn his 2nd shutout of the season.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"I felt good out there," Hiller said. "I had good legs and I felt comfortable. I think we did a real good job with penalty kill. They had a lot of chances."

"I thought we played more of the type of hockey that's going to be required in the last two games, both here and Tampa," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "We have to play tight, have to grind the type of hockey that is required to have success, if we can get a little more offense."

"He did what he had to do," Carlyle said of Hiller. "He wasn't called upon to make a lot of big stops, but the defense buckled down for him in the third period."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

SUNRISE, FL - FEBRUARY 1: Goaltender Jonas Hiller #1 of the Anaheim Ducks drops his stick but makes a save with his blocker against the Florida Panthers on February 1, 2010 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Ducks defeated the Panthers 3-0. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

And in the end, it's a business.

In short: Giguere has been traded to Toronto for Toskala and Blake. The rookie with all the heart and passion this season has seen, Dan Sexton, got sent down. And yesterday Hiller got a 4 year contract worth 18 million. (This part was posted yesterday, 1.31.10... the following was updated today 2.1.10...)

I took time to collect my thoughts on the Giguere trade because in the words of Adam Brady "it was like a bolt of lightning-- you could see it coming from a mile away, but it still surprises you." I was expecting him to be moved after the team re-signed Hiller to 4 years. I just wasn't expecting it to be the very next day. I feel as though I wont be able to put things into the proper words that are deserved, but I'm going to try...

I've been a Ducks fan since 1997-98. That means that aside from Guy Hebert, J.S. Giguere has been the only #1 goalie I have known. He's been, by far, the best Ducks goalie to ever don the uniform. And just like that, the NHL reminds you why you should never be so quite attached to a single player. In an instant they can be on a completely different team, in a completely different country, on the complete opposite coast.

Ducks fans will remember him for being the sole reason the Ducks came within 1 game of the Stanley Cup in 2003. They will remember how heart breaking yet satisfying it was to see him win the Conn Smythe trophy that year. That image is engraved in my brain. They'll remember him throwing his gloves off like he couldn't get them off fast enough in 2007 as the clock wound down and the Ducks became the Stanley Cup Champions. And they'll remember him for making the Ducks who they were for 10 solid years.

I wish Jiggy nothing but the best in his new adventure in Toronto. He's back with his goalie coach Allaire, and he's back under Burke's wing. I hope Toronto fans get to know him for his dedication and passion to the game. I hope they understand soon what they got. I hope they learn to love him. Trades always bring a fan back to reality -- it's a business. And in this business, some shoes..or skates... are harder to fill than others.

So long, Giguere! I hope to someday see you retire your number here in Anaheim. Raise 35 to the rafters. Thank You, for the memories. Thank You, for everything.

Game 55: Ducks @ Lightning 12.29.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
For a game that was "pull your hair out, strand by strand" boring, it sure did get a little interesting at the end. Tampa Bay is a team that should be beaten with ease, but knowing the Ducks, they can never make their nights that easy. They had to bring Tampa to OT and a shootout, just to spice things up. They're never one to shy away from the dramatics. And who other than Wisniewski to save the day, again?! He's the new Anaheim shootout Guru. He was also the only one to have a goal for the Ducks in regulation too. Who would have known it? I'm glad he's being so clutch recently because I like him and he's been starting to get some flack for not producing. Well, he's producing now-- and in key moments.

POST GAME QUOTES:
"Miracles happen," injured Anaheim right wing Teemu Selanne said while Wisniewski talked with reporters.

"Thanks Teemu," Wisniewski responded. "I would say something else, but you have 595 goals."

"We might have to stick with him," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "The guy won the last one for us, so if it's not broken, don't try and fix it."

"Both teams were playing pretty solid in the defensive zone," Hiller said. "It's fun to play that way. As a goalie, you'd rather have a 1-1 game than like a 7-7 game."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski (34) fires the game-winner past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Antero Nittymaki during a shoot out in an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 in Tampa, Fla.(Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 54: Ducks @ Capitals 1.27.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






OPINION:
Well they hung in there better than I expected them to. It was really close, they kept it at a 1 goal game, which is astonishing because it's Ovechkin's team. AND THEN... the 3rd period happened. And then things started to look like I had expected them to look. There's a clear cut reason why the Caps are 1st in the East... they're good. And there is a reason why the Ducks are on the outside looking in, in the West. They're just not cutting it. They get so close to a playoff spot only to piss it away (excuse the poor language, it just fits better). Will they make the playoffs? I think they could pull it off. I do. I'll stand behind my team and believe they can pull it off. They did last year. They've made the playoffs every year since the lockout. They can make it in. But if they have any hopes of doing so they need to get their road games in serious check. They wont do it if they keep failing on the road! That's just a pure fact. They need to win the games that are winnable, and they need to win games that are tough calls. They need to WIN. And they need to do it soon, and a lot.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"It's a little frustrating, because after that first goal in the period, it seemed like we just went flat. It felt like everybody just kind of quit," Giguere said. "We were still in it. It was an unfortunate bounce off Steve's skate, but these things are going to happen. It would have been important for us to come back and re-establish ourselves after that goal. But for some reason we didn't seem to have the energy anymore to fight it off."

"They're very comfortable playing the game the way they played it tonight," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "That's their game. And they played it to a T."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan (9) is tripped up by Washington Capitals center Boyd Gordon (15) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, in Washington.(Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 53: Ducks @ Thrashers 1.26.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






OPINION:
They are not doing themselves any favors when they play down to the bad teams! But that's what they did tonight, a thing they tend to like to do. I don't understand it, I'm sure you don't understand it, but they do it. Then they have to face the capitals tomorrow?! Ovie's team? Lord help them. All I can hope for in that one is for Hiller or Giguere (you never know with RC) to not get lit up like a Christmas tree... Christmas is over!


POST GAME QUOTES:
"I definitely knew where I wanted to go before I got it," Getzlaf said. "I got a good shot that unfortunately hit the outside of the post instead of the inside."

"Our first power play we had seven or eight shots," Bobby Ryan said. "We lost momentum. Everybody was trying to do too much."

"He played well enough to keep us in the game," Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf said. "It's frustrating. Maybe we over-handled the puck a little bit."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

ATLANTA - JANUARY 26: Goaltender Johan Hedberg #1 of the Atlanta Thrashers saves a shot on goal in front of Saku Koivu #11 of the Anaheim Ducks at Philips Arena on January 26, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Game 52: Ducks @ Blues 1.23.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
The TV shared a piece of info before the game started. The Ducks are bad on the road. Ducks fans know this. But they were 2-7-0 on the road in the last 9 road games. I thought about it, and those 2 wins were when Selanne was in the lineup. So you'll understand why things looked dreary when the Ducks went down 3-0 in the 3rd period. I'll admit it, I wanted badly to change the channel and turn the game off. But out of all honesty I had a thought before hitting the clicker... "what if the Ducks had a comeback and I missed it because I couldn't stick with them through the full 60 minutes" .. that thought is what prevented me from changing the channel, and right after that thought, Niedermayer scored off a sweet pass from Perry. Alright so it was 3-1... still a grim outlook with 13 minutes left... From my experience, that's more than enough time to get 2 more, but could the Ducks pull it off? The answer is obviously yes if you caught a look at the final score before reading this. They could and they did. Bobby Ryan was the man of the hour getting in 2 goals. His 2nd coming with literally just seconds left on the clock with the extra man advantage as Hiller was on the bench. The shootout went to a staggering 7 rounds and who other than James Wisniewski to steal the win? Yep. Wiz was the 7th shooter for the Ducks. Perry scored, Getzlaf scored -- Ryan, Sexton, Beleskey, and Artyukhin couldn't convert -- and then came Wiz to win the game. Impressive comeback win doesn't seem to adequately explain it. St. Louis should be checking their wallets and their purses, because they just got robbed.

POST GAME QUOTES:
"He's (Wisniewski) a confident guy and those situations don't rattle him," Carlyle said. "He made a hell of a move."

"I said, 'Give a defenseman a try,"' Wisniewski recalled. "We never get an opportunity. When I saw it go in, it was a pretty good feeling."

"It was a surprise pick to me," said Ryan, who leads U.S.-born players with 24 goals. "We play breakaway games every day (in practice) and he's always one of the guys that scores."

"This was monumental," Ryan said. "It was like a playoff game. This shows that we're a very resilient team, able to bounce back in the face of almost everything."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks' James Wisniewski celebrates after teammate Bobby Ryan scored to tie the game 3-3 during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, in St. Louis. Wisniewski ended up scoring the game-winning goal in a shootout to defeat the Blues 4-3.(Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 51: Ducks @ Sharks 1.21.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






POST GAME QUOTES:
"The big difference in the game was that our power play has to be a little bit better than that," center Ryan Getzlaf said. "We have to be able to make it when we have that man advantage. That was pretty much the difference in the game tonight. We had our chances and it's not for a lack of effort or execution. It's a matter of getting them into the net and past them."

"We were much closer in the game and the difference was that we made a mistake and they score a power play goal off a faceoff," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "We have all but eight seconds of it killed and we reacted poorly on the one draw by them."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 21: Scott Niedermayer #27 of the Anaheim Ducks tries to control the puck with a sliding Jason Demers #60 of the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion on January 21, 2010 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Game 50: Ducks vs. Sabres 1.19.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
Getzlaf Scores. Artyukhin Scores. Brown Scores. Ryan Scores. All in just over half of the 1st period. You wouldn't think that the Ducks would need Bodie to score in the 3rd to hold on to the victory, but they did. Bodie's goal was the game winner against a tough Miller, who was in net replacing Lalime who got pulled after Anaheim's 4th goal. The 1st period was 100% all Ducks, Buffalo had no business being in that 1st period. The 2nd period was 100% all Buffalo, with them coming within 1 goal of the Ducks 4-0 lead. The 3rd period was a battle of the goal tenders, Hiller and Miller. In the end the Ducks had just enough in them to skate away with the win. They handed Buffalo their first regulation loss since December 23rd. Also their first loss this season to a Western Conference team. The Ducks, on the other hand, came away with their 8th straight home win and 2 major major points. It puts them in 11th, tied with Dallas with 53 points; however, Dallas has a game in hand so they get 10th and we get 11th. It leaves them only 4 points out of the 8th spot that they have been desperately trying to get into since they're rough start to the season and both Detroit and the Kings lost tonight, making it that much sweeter. So while it wasn't exactly a pretty win on the ice, it's a very pretty win where it counts-- the standings.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"If you have four goals, it can be dangerous," Hiller said. "They knew they had to do something. They scored two quick goals and were back in the game. At the end, we have to take the positives. We found a way to win. That is what it important right now."

"Bodie got a huge goal for us there late in the third period," Getzlaf said. "Those are things that we need to win hockey games. Tonight wasn’t the prettiest effort throughout the whole game, but we were able to get that early lead and hold it."

"We’ve played pretty well at home lately," Hiller said. "At least we got the points and found ways to win. We have to do the same thing on the road now. We have that confidence that we can win every game. We have to keep going. It’s not going to come by itself. We have to work hard, especially if we can start like tonight and play 60 minutes."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Bodie, right celebrates scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres with teammate Anaheim Ducks center Todd Marchant (22) in the third period during an NHL hockey game, in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Jan., 19, 2010. Ducks won 5-4. (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 48: Ducks @ Kings 1.14.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
Didn't go into this game expecting a win due to the hard solid effort they gave for the Bruins game just last night, but I also didn't expect they'd get shutout either. What a blow. They were playing pretty well given their circumstances for the 1st period. Then things started to unravel for them. The cherry on top was the Kings 4th "goal" at the very end of the 2nd period that put them up 4-0. The "goal" went under review and was called a goal. The problem is there is no video evidence that shows the puck conclusively going over the goal line. The other problem is that while the ref directly behind the net called it no goal, the LINESMAN farthest away called it a goal. I don't even know, I can't explain crap like that. Just know, it was pure crap. It wouldn't matter anyway in the end, I'm just saying, it was a terrible call.

To make matters worse, Koivu left the game with what was announced as a lower body injury. Two Finns down in two nights. Brutal. No time limit is given for him right now, although they did say Teemu's time frame is 2 to 6 weeks and his surgery today was successful. At least SOMETHING was successful today for the Ducks...


POST GAME QUOTES:
“We’ve played pretty well as of late. We didn’t play well tonight," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle.

"The goals that they got, the first two, anyway, were deflections," Carlyle said. "They just threw the puck at the net. I think there were a couple of deflections on the second one. Then we get bit by a goal, I don’t know if we could tell if the puck went in the net, but obviously someone out on the ice did.”

"I think the frustration level certainly set in," Ryan said. "I think we’ve said before, that our team is a team that gets frustrated and loses all composure there, and I think you saw the result of it in the (third period).”

“We had lost Teemu earlier in the year with his hand injury, so you know what, I don’t think you can pinpoint it on saying that, well, we didn’t play well tonight or we didn’t win the game tonight because we didn’t have Teemu Selanne," said Ducks forward Todd Marchant. "There’s nothing against Teemu, he’s a great player for us, a great leader. But we just didn’t have our game tonight and, you know, bottom line is they wanted it more than we did in a lot of situations. And we just didn’t work hard enough and compete hard enough in certain areas and it showed. You can tell they were hungry for this game and they wanted it more than we did. It’s our job now to focus on the next game on Sunday and be ready to come back and bounce back and play a better game at home.”

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 14: Bobby Ryan #9 of the Anaheim Ducks waits for a faceoff with teammates as his team trails 3-0 against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Staples Center on January 14, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Game 47: Ducks vs. Bruins 1.13.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
What a game! It was high intensity the whole way through and a nail biter until the very end. It showcased some fights which is always fun for hockey fans new and old. It was also a very bittersweet win. Yes, a bittersweet one. Why? The Ducks had JUST gotten Teemu Selanne back and toward the end of the 3rd he got nailed by the puck from a re-directed slapshot from Ryan Whitney. He went down flailing in obvious pain and every Ducks fan in the arena had wide eyes and the look of disbelief and fear in them. I'm not going to lie, if I got hit with that puck it probably would have knocked me out cold and as soon as I regained consciousness, I'd cry like a newborn baby. It looked so extremely painful and Teemu skated off the ice on his own. Yikes. The end result is a fractured jaw bone and it's unclear at this time how long he'll be out. The general time line is usually 4-6 weeks. So while the Ducks fought hard and earned every ounce of this win (their 5th straight win!), they are again without Teemu Selanne. Pardon the pun, but the poor guy just can't catch a break this year.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"It was a great game coming back from being down 3-2 after two periods," said Jonas Hiller, who turned in another solid night. "It was not easy to come back after the second, which was tough not getting a lot of shots and getting scored on three times. At the end, you add up the 60 minutes, that is what counts and we found a way to win."

"I was definitely happy with my game in the third period," Hiller said.

"I’m definitely happy about it," Eminger said of his goal. "My last one was the last game of last season. It’s been awhile. The main thing was keeping the streak alive. It’s five in a row now. That is a big streak for us coming into the second half of the season here. I’m excited to be part of it and have a game-winner".

"It shows that we’ve gained some confidence over the last couple of games," Hiller said. "We’re not giving up and the team is not falling apart. Our guys are stepping up. We know we have to play 60 minutes at our best to have a chance. The next time is tomorrow night."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 13: Tuuka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins can't stop a shot by Matt Beleskey(not pictured) of the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at the Honda Center on January 13, 2010 in Anaheim, California. The Ducks defeated the Bruins 4-3. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Sorry!

Sorry for being behind on the past two games. I was out of town and had hardly any time for the internet while gone. The Nashville and Chicago game posts are now updated and ready to go. I have excluded the "Opinion" piece that is normally in them because I was unable to see the games, and without being able to watch the games I am unable to have an opinion about them. However, I do want to say I'm very proud that they have won 4 in a row, and from what I did hear about the games it sounds like they played very well and Hiller stood on his head. Way to go Ducks! Winning is a good thing! :)

Game 46: Ducks @ Blackhawks 1.10.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






POST GAME QUOTES:
"Hillsie stole the game for us, simple as that," Anaheim's Corey Perry said about goalie after the Ducks won 3-1 on Sunday night despite being outshot 43-12. "Quality scoring chances ... they probably had 15 to 20. He came up huge for us."

"We've developed something the last few games," Hiller said. "That's what we need to do to get back to the playoffs. If we keep playing like we did tonight, we have a real good chance."

"You don't ask (one player) to win you the game, but [Hiller] went above that and won the hockey game for us," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "This isn't an easy to building to come into. They have a very good club and the shot total proved it."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

CHICAGO - JANUARY 10: Jonas Hiller(notes) #1 of the Anaheim Ducks is congratulated by teammate Scott Niedermayer(notes) #27 after a win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on January 10, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Ducks defeated the Blackhawks 3-1. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Game 45: Ducks @ Predators 1.9.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net






POST GAME QUOTES:
"It's important that we found a way to win, especially on the road," Hiller said. "We shouldn't have let them come back in the third, but we knew they wanted to do something."

"(Nokelainen)'s shot, I had nothing to do with it," Selanne said. "It was total luck when it hit my shaft and went in. It was a good way to start my comeback."

"When you get to play with Getzlaf and Perry, you should be able to find the back of the net a few times," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said.

"We didn't want to give up the power-play goal and the goal late to give them the opportunity to get points, but we found a way to get it done," Carlyle said. "We'll take the two points and move on."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne (8), of Finland, scores a goal against Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, of Finland, second from left, in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 in Nashville, Tenn. Also defending for the Predators are Marcel Goc (9), of Germany, and Ryan Jones (28). (Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 44: Ducks vs. Blues 1.7.10

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
Of course there is a short handed goal involved where the team didn't win right after I point out how the team that gets one usually wins. Of course that would happen. Luckily, it's because the Ducks made it that way. The Ducks went down 1-0 early on a short handed goal, but they didn't let it get to them. It was a hard fought game and a nail biter until the Ducks grabbed their first lead in the 3rd and kept it. This was a huge win too, because coming into the night the Ducks were tied with St. Louis in points but still fell below them in the standings because St. Louis has played less games. But tonight the Ducks sit in 12th, 2 points ahead of St. Louis. It's frustrating for them to win games and not move up in the standings, but if they find some sort of consistency they'll start moving up and up. There's still hope, after all.


POST GAME QUOTES:
"The room is confident right now," Ryan said. "This group is one that has everything. All the tools are put in place for us. We’re going to and continue to roll with it. It’s going to be a couple of tough buildings on the road coming up here."

"For me, it was huge," Ryan said.. "I had some shots earlier in the game. For me to get that one, it was a huge morale boost. It gives you a second wind, it really does. Brewer had his stick out there. I thought let’s get it through his legs and hope for the best. I never saw the puck go in. I knew where I was shooting and luckily hit it."

"It’s really helping playing with them," Beleskey said of his pairing with Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. "They control the play down low almost every shift, so if I get to the net, there is a good chance there is going to be a rebound or something lying around.""It was one of those tough games to grind out," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "At times, it wasn’t a pretty hockey game, but we found a way to win. That is the most encouraging thing for us because we found a way to lose these hockey games before. This time we found a way to win it."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry (10), left, congratulates left wing Matt Beleskey on Beleskey's game winning goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010. (Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)