Another Nice Day in South Florida
Ducks 5 – Devils 1 Random Thoughts
* The game wasn't as close as the score says it was.
* The Ducks fourth line of Beleskey/Bourque-Rakell-DSP looked as good as the Devils top line.
* Speaking of Beleskey, his one game seat in the press box really fired him up. He looked sharp all night and held his own in a fight with Devil tough guy Tim Sesito. I was rooting for a Gordie Howe hat trick at the end of the game. Full credit to Bruce Boudreau.
* More Beleskey. His shot in the first period that would lead to New Jersey goalie Corey Schnieder's departure from the game didn't look especially tough. NJ.com is reporting that it may have hit Schneider in the head.
* The win last night shouldn't be perceived as a success for Ilya Bryzgalov. He was rarely challenged by an under-manned Devils squad and the one goal he did yield made him look very bad. I'm not a scout and neither are most of you, but we can tell when a player has some game. What ever “it… is, Bryzgalov does not have at this stage of his career.
* When the Canucks were on top a few years ago, it was mentioned by insiders that it was very difficult for players to mesh with the Sedin twins on the top line. It looks like the complete opposite with Getzlaf and Perry.
* Watching the bearded Patrick Maroon makes me think of the Monty Python “Lumberjack Song.…
* The Ducks are a different team when their top six defensemen are healthy.
* Color analyst Brian Heyward said he thought Hampus Lindholm and Jacob Trouba were the cream of the current crop of young NHL defensemen and future superstars. Here's hoping that Heyward can add prophet to his job title.
Ducks vs. Kings
Now that the Ducks have knocked off a couple of Eastern Conference non-playoff teams, the competition ramps up significantly tonight. The Ducks head to the Staples Center to face the rival L.A. Kings. Rene Bourque will be shuffled out of the lineup to make room for Tim Jackman. Frederik Andersen returns to the Duck goal after a one game hiatus. Here is tonight's expected lineup...
Forwards Maroon-Getzlaf-Perry Beleskey-Kesler-Palmieri Cogliano-Thompson-Silfverberg Jackman-Rakell-DSP
Defensemen Fowler-Lovejoy Lindholm-Beauchemin Stoner-Vatanen
Goalies Andersen Bryzgalov
-Ed