Ducks at Wild
Tonight the Ducks begin a two game road trip to the “Great White North… as they take on the Minnesota Wild in Minneapolis. Anaheim enters the game on a modest two game winning streak. It will be goalie Frederik Andersen's 14th consecutive start.
The Wild have struggled a bit of late going 3-2-1 in their last six. Minnesota has been hit hard (harder than the Ducks) with the mumps. Ryan Suter is likely to miss the game, he is the fifth Wild defenseman to catch the illness. It will be the 24th man game the mumps have cost Wild defensemen.
Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau is making some minor changes to the Ducks lineup. He will have Rene Bourque skate with Getzlaf and Perry on the top line. Matt Beleskey switches places with him on the second line. Defenseman Mark Fistric returns to the lineup after missing over a month with multiple injuries. He will bump Mat Clark from the game. Here is tonight's expected line up:
Forwards Bourque-Getzlaf-Perry Beleskey-Kesler-Palmieri Cogliano-DSP-Silfverberg Maroon-Thompson-Jackman
Defensemen Fowler-Manson Lindholm-Fistric Stoner-Vatanen
Goalies Andersen Bobkov
A quick note about tonight. There is nothing wrong with your television. It is “Ugly Sweater Night… at the Xcel Energy Center. If Prime Ticket shows some crowd shots, it should be pretty funny, you betcha.
Ricky Rack Wins One for Norfolk
Rikard Rackell, who was recently demoted by the Ducks, scored the winning goal for Norfolk Admirals in overtime on Tuesday. Having Rackell play in Norfolk as opposed to sitting in Anaheim is working out so far. In the long run its better for both him and the Ducks. He will be back.
The Stache is No More
Legendary Ducks tough guy George Parros retired today. Known for his signature mustache and willingness to drop the gloves, Parros was a fan favorite during his six years in Anaheim. He played all 19 playoff games in the Ducks 2007 Stanley Cup run.
Your Motivational Quote
Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov had a teleconference with the media. Here is a gem from today:
“I am who I am. Life is [too] beautiful to be sad, to be depressed. You've got to enjoy every day of your life. The sun comes up and it’s so beautiful. Everybody is in good condition and good health. You've got to enjoy it. You've got to find the positive moments in your life every day.“
Somewhere there is a cat doing a chin-up with a smile on his face.