Game 39: Ducks vs. Wild 12.29.09

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net





OPINION:
Pretty good game from the boys tonight. I think Perry missed the presence of Getzlaf, but that 2nd line of Koivu-Ryan-Sexton kept up with the challenge of overcoming the injury bug. Bobby Ryan notched 2 goals and an assist, Sexton had a great goal that helped get rid of the possible momentum Minnesota could have had when he got one seconds after Minnesota tied up the game. It was a huge goal. Marchant helped put the nail in the MN coffin when he got the empty netter with 9 seconds left in the game. There were issues, they had a few brain farts along the way but overall it was a decent effort to snag 2 points. It still leaves the Ducks in 13th, tied with St. Louis in points, but since St. Louis has more overall wins they get 12th for the night.

Just as a side note, Boynton gained a lot of respect from me when he took on Boogard in a scrap. You knew he was certain to lose and just hoped he didn't get hurt too bad, but he took the big booger on. It was a mismatch of the century as Boogard towered over him, but he didn't care. I think it gave the Ducks some energy. He's a champ for taking on a big challenge like that. He didn't get hurt either.

There's 1 game left for the year of 2009, on New Years Eve. They'll be taking on the Stars in Dallas. I'd like to enter 2010 on a good note, wouldn't you? I hope it's not too much to ask.

POST GAME QUOTES:
"We came out hard tonight," Ryan said. "The guys were prepared. When a guy like Getzy goes down, it really impacts everybody around the room. We said before that some guys need to step up."

"They had just scored a goal and we had just had a PK a minute before," Saku Koivu said. "The same guys were out there for the last five or six minutes. You start to feel a little bit of fatigue, but you try to forget what the score is and how much time is left. You just go out there and do whatever it takes to kill a penalty."

"Chipping a puck in, going after it and making their defense uncomfortable going back to get it, all those little things contributed to getting 17 shots in the first," Ryan said.

"We know going onto the road we’re going into some tough buildings," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "The first one is the most important one in Dallas. No matter who we have in our lineup and who is available to us, we have to be prepared to compete."

Added Ryan, "We’ve been in desperation mode for 10 to 15 games here. All the other teams are winning too. Everybody is getting points with us. This is a very critical part of the season. We are going to have to win some road games in January. We have a tough road ahead, but it’s a pretty good group right now."

Source for Quotes: ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan, left, is congratulated by Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu (11) after Ryan scored a goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period of a NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009.(Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

Game 28: Ducks @ Wild 12.4.09

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net

PERIOD 1: 1 - 0
PERIOD 2: 2 - 1
PERIOD 3: 4 - 4
OVERTIME: 4 - 4
SHOOTOUT: 4 - 5






OPINION:
Furious. The Ducks had a 2 goal lead with less than 5 minutes left in the game and they blew it. Again. Remember the MN Wild game early in the season where they blew the 3-0 lead? This time they had a 2 goal lead with LESS THAN 5 minutes remaining and they BLEW IT. It speaks volumes when your fans can't feel safe when you have a 2 goal lead and blow it with less than 5 minutes left, it speaks even bigger volumes when you prove your fans were justified in feeling that way. Disgusting.

The Ducks had 2 players with 2 goals. Lupul (Welcome back, buddy) and Bobby Ryan.

POST GAME QUOTES:
“We’re missing opportunities to close out a team, like we’re missing a 4-on-3 in overtime,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “You can’t miss those opportunities to seize the extra point. It’s that simple.”

“It’s not the first one,” Anaheim captain Scott Niedermayer said. “It’s getting old, that’s for sure. You have yourself the lead late in the third, you should be able to get the win and two points in pretty much all of those cases. Once in a while, maybe not.”

Source for Quotes: sports.yahoo.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry, left, screens Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, right, of Finland, as the puck slides past Backstrom off a shot by the Ducks' Joeffrey Lupul during the third period. (PHOTO CREDIT: Yahoo Sports)

Game 6: Ducks vs. Wild 10.14.09

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net

PERIOD 1: 2 - 0
PERIOD 2: 3 - 1
PERIOD 3: 3 - 2




POST GAME QUOTES:
"We know what kind of player [Perry] is," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "We’ve been around him enough to understand that he’s a goal-scorer and he can score some big goals for your hockey club. He’s done that and it’s good to see he’s been rewarded with a good start."

"We haven’t come out in a first period all season," Perry said. "It’s a must, especially in our own building."

"We can be quite proud with the way we played tonight, especially coming back from the road," said Hiller, who had 32 stops on the night. "It’s never easy. Everybody showed, especially in the first period, that we were ready. We didn’t back off too much in the third. We controlled the game most of the time. That is the way we have to play."

"Coming off the road, we’re going to rest our bodies, rejuvenate and be ready," said Perry. "This is our home rink. It is where we want to get our wins. We want to own this building. If we play like we did tonight, we’re going to be alright."

Source for Quotes:ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 14: Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks looks for a rebound in front of Greg Zanon #6 and Niklas Backstrom #32 of the Minnesota Wild during the first period at the Honda Center on October 14, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Game 2: Ducks @ Wild 10.6.09

Graphic Credit: BuckyHermit @ duckscentral.net

PERIOD 1: 0 - 0
PERIOD 2: 3 - 0
PERIOD 3: 3 - 3
OVERTIME: 3 - 4




POST GAME QUOTES:
"We didn't play well enough to win," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "Simple as that. It's a 60-minute game. We played 50 minutes."

"It was stupid," Wisniewski said in the locker room afterward. "Selfish penalty. It maybe cost us a chance for us to come back and win the game."

"That's the difference," [Carlyle] said. "We reacted and it was the wrong reaction at the wrong time. Critical point in the game."

Source for Quotes: Adam Brady's Official Ducks Blog @ ducks.nhl.com

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

John Scott #36 of the Minnesota Wild and George Parros #16 of the Anaheim Ducks fight during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on Otober 6, 2009 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Andy King/NHLI via Getty Images)