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Ducks Game Day: Sharks Tonight and My (Late) Thoughts on the Cam Fowler Hit

February 4, 2013, 3:49 PM ET [21 Comments]
Steve Palumbo
San Jose Sharks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Anaheim Ducks (5-1-1) can put an exclamation point on a heck of a weekend tonight with a win against the Pacific Division leading San Jose Sharks.

If the Ducks are going to go for the tri-fecta after dispatching both the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings they must continue to spread the scoring wealth around. In Anaheim's first seven games, 11 different players have lit the lamp and seven of the 11 have at least two or more goals.

In Saturdays emotional win over L.A., 11 different players had at least one point and Nick Bonino became the latest Ducks forward to ingratiate himself to the hometown fans with his first career hat trick. Daniel Winnik is still the team's leading goal scorer with five and 42-year-old Teemu Selanne holds the overall point lead with nine points (3g 6a).

Youngster (Kyle) Palmieri is proving to be quite an offensive asset as he continues his fast start. He picked up a power play goal against the Kings to increase his season total to four, equaling his entire goal output in 18 games last season.

Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf took a ton of heat last season from critics, including myself, after finishing the 2011-12 season with a mere 11 goals and a minus-11 in 82 games. So far this season he has done an excellent job of at least changing my mind.

His seven points are tied for second on the team in scoring and his three goals is only eight shy of his entire total from a season ago. What has been the biggest difference? It has to be his level of effort. Last season he looked like he was moving with lead skates. Right now he looks fresh and appears to have more jump in his step and its paying off on the score sheet and in the win column.

Imagine how good the Ducks will be if they can get Corey Perry going and get some quality goaltending out of Jonas Hiller. With the four goals he let in on Saturday, Hiller has now given up 18 goals in his five starts to this point. He continues to find the puck while trying to find some level of consistency. I can't imagine him holding his starting job for much longer if he can't improve of his 3.54 GAA and .871 SV%.

***

The Sharks (7-0-1) come in Honda Center as one of only two teams (Hawks 7-0-2) without a regulation loss. The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 29 with the Sharks winning 3-2 in the shootout. It was probably the best I've seen the Ducks play in at least a season.

I found it interesting that Viktor Fasth win draw the start. Could be a sign of things to come from Bruce Boudreau. It should be interesting to see how the game plays out tonight. Will another solid performance from Fasth weaken Hiller's grasp on the starting job?

I think in Anaheim gets the W tonight than the rest of the league will finally stop looking past the Ducks as a team that could compete in the Western Conference this season.

***

It has come to my attention that I should have expressed my opinion on LA Kings forwards Jarret Stolls hit on Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler.

I apologize for not addressing this issue sooner.

Having played hockey I can understand the circumstances surrounding the play. Stoll pursued Fowler who still had possession of the puck. The Ducks defenseman lowered his center of gravity to protect himself and the puck along the boards. Stoll in turn finished his check and as it turns out drove Fowler head first into the boards. It looked nasty in slow motion.

As a result Fowler was knocked out of the game and remains out of the Ducks lineup with what the team is calling an "upper body" injury. Anaheim fans are furious that there was no penalty called and adding further insult to injury the play was not reviewed by the league.

I doubt Stoll intended to harm Fowler, but the league should have at least reviewed the play. If the NHL truly wants to alleviate these types of hits they all should be reviewed regardless if intentional or not.

As to whether I think the hit was dirty...well, that's not really for me to decide. But, here is the play again. What do you think?




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