“And in real life endings aren't always neat, whether they're happy endings, or whether they're sad endings.… - Stephen King
The winning streak went seven game and it was fun while it lasted. This is the National Hockey League and any team can lose on a given day. An honest assessment of the Ducks performance reads, they came out flat, played an uninspired first two periods and got beat by a good team from their division. The big solace in the loss was that Anaheim didn't take losing lightly and played a hard third period. It was as if an alarm went off and the Ducks said to themselves, “you might beat us, but you can't beat us down.…
The Ducks media took a bunch of heat for naming Tim Jackman the second star of the game. I can see both sides of the argument, but there is no award for being an emotional spark, so that was the best alternative. I've been critical of Jackman and openly questioned whether or not he belonged on this roster. Sunday night he justified his spot to me and anyone else that was watching. He defended his teammates and took on the Sharks heavyweight John Scott.
By the end of the third period, the Ducks bench was so thin it looked like the annual meeting of the Barry Bonds fan club. I don't have a problem with Getzlaf and Perry being ejected for fighting. What they demonstrated to a young team is that at this level you have to stand up for yourself and your team, no matter if you are on the top line or play five minutes per game.
Unfortunately, Ben Lovejoy broke his hand pounding on Pavelski's helmet. He will be gone for at least six weeks. I will have one lasting memory of the game. The look on Lovejoy's face when Joe Pavelski started to fight with him. It reminded me of when a little kid tries to fight his big brother and the older one puts his hand other's head to keep him at arms length while the younger one swings away at the air. No knock on Pavelski there, it was just Lovejoy's “you've got to be kidding me… expression that had me laughing.
On the Road Again
The Ducks start a hard road trip. They play four games in six days against tough competition. The trip starts tonight in Chicago and goes through St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado. No pushovers in that group. The Blackhawks game this evening will be a test of character for the Ducks as in how do they rebound from an ugly loss.
Dany Heatley should make his season debut today. He has been been practicing on the top line. Heater's inclusion will make William Karlsson a healthy scratch as coach Bruce Boudreau mixed up the lines. Hampus Lindholm missed yesterday's practice with the flu. With Bryan Allen still on injured reserve, Chris Manson was called up from Norfolk to fill in and may play if Lindholm is a no go. John Gibson was first off the ice in practice, so it looks like he'll get his second start in goal over the last three games. Here is the projected lineup:
Forwards Heatley-Getzlaf-Perry Cogliano-Kesler-DSP Beleskey-Thompson-Silfverberg Etem-Rakell-Jackman
Defense Beauchemin-Lindholm Fowler-Stoner Vatanen-Fistric or Beauchemin-Fowler Vatanen-Stoner Fistric-Manson
Goalie Gibson Andersen
-Ed
"This sport doesn't build character, it reveals it." - Cotton McKnight in Dodgeball