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Let's Look Back at the Road Trip that Would Never End...Shall We? |
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The Ducks concluded their mammoth road trip with a come-from-behind 3-2 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes. With the victory the Ducks finished the extended trip 5-1-2. Quite an accomplishment considering the caliber of the teams they faced. (Detroit, Pittsburgh, New Jersey etc.)
Anaheim has more than climbed back into the playoff race they have a shot at the Pacific Division title. The Ducks are four points out of a playoff spot and only nine behind the San Jose Sharks for first in the division. Could you imagine the headlines if Anaheim pulled that off?
While we're still all warm and fuzzy inside let's take a look back at some of the best moments of the last eight games....
* 2/23/12 - Ducks 3-2 SO win over Carolina - Corey Perry notches goal number 30 for the third time in his career.
* 2/21/12 - Tampa Bay strikes down Ducks 3-2 - The only game in which the Ducks failed to secure at least a point but Saku Koivu finally ended a 19-game goal scoring drought with a second period tally.
* 2/19/12 - Ducks defeat Florida 2-0 - Jonas Hiller made 31 saves for the shutout and Teeme Selanne nabbed the game-winning goal, his 20th of the season.
* 2/17/12 - Devils grab 3-2 SO win over Ducks - Anaheim out shot NJ 38-27 while rallying from a 2-0 deficit to force OT and pick up a valuable point. ex-Devils Sheldon Brookbank scored his first goal in nearly two years late in the third to tie the game.
* 2/14 & 2/15 - Anaheim knocks off the Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins on back-to-back nights. In both games the Ducks game back from 1-0 first period holes to win 2-1. Perry scored a goal in both games.
* 2/12/12 - The Ducks take out the Blue Jackets 5-3 - Paced by three power play goals and a Corey Perry hat trick the Ducks avenge an earlier loss to the lowly Jackets.
* 2/10/12 - Red Wings down Ducks 2-1 in a SO - The Wings were in the midst of their record breaking winning streak at Joe Louis Arena but Anaheim still snatched a point, thanks to a goal by none other than Mr. Mustache himself, George Parros.
Other than picking up all 16 possible points there is not much more you could of asked for from the Ducks. They played nearly flawless road hockey in earning 12 valuable points.
Anaheim returns home 26-25-10. They have gained 36 points in the standing since Jan. 1, tying the Red Wings for the most points since then. Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne lead the way offensively while Jonas Hiller was lights out in net.
Perry summed up the trip perfectly...
"It was our season. Eight games on the road is a lot. To go 5-1-2, what can you say? We played a lot of good teams. Detroit, Pittsburgh. There's a lot of good teams in there. To come out on top and get 12 points out of a possible 16 is pretty huge."
It was huge indeed. Now they must finish the job.
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