Ducks in a Row…game 2.2

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”
-Malcolm X

The Ducks need Mike Brown.

Brown has become an instrumental part of the Ducks success on the Penalty Kill since he was acquired. His speed and ability to be “the pest” on defense causes teams to turn over the puck and frustrate them while trying to enter the zone. The Ducks were without his services in game 1…and hopefully, if we have to see a PK unit, he’ll continue to impress.

The defense must be stronger.

While Detroit claims they don’t play the physical game, they are much smarter and stronger about getting to the front of the net than the Sharks were. They are going to do everything in their power to get pucks to Jonas Hiller, and the defense needs to be stronger down low to prevent that from happening.

Jonas Hiller is going to be tested…anyway.

Detroit knows that Hiller drops to his knees. They are trying to exploit that and are doing it well. He’s very aware that they are looking for the top of the net and they are a very skilled team capable of making sharp shots. While he’s trying to focus his efforts on an all around game, he’s letting the easy things get by 5 hole. Hiller needs to play like Hiller…and not let another teams’ offense dictate HIS game.

Scoring is a must.

This is not the time to be cute on the ice. Jiri Hudler learned that lesson in game 1. Smart plays and solid passes are always crucial but most importantly, the Ducks have got to find ways to get the puck and MEN to the net. The rebounds are there. Go get them.

Penalties are going to be the factor.

Come on. We all know that Detroit is going to get the benefit of every doubt. The Ducks MUST capitalize on every opportunity they get on the power play. Teemu Selanne, for one, must be sharp. He had a hat trick against Detroit earlier this season thanks to power plays and knows how to pick the right spot. Scoring on those opportunities might make the difference.

In addition, penalty kills are going to be just as important. Having BOTH Mike Brown and Todd Marchant out on the ice for the PK will be a great option for the Ducks in game 2. A luxury they were without for game 1.

And of course…staying out of the box will be the ultimate kill.

GO DUCKS!!!

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Detroit, Media/Versus, & the NHL = 1; Ducks = 0

–UPDATED!–

This is going to be an even tougher battle than I thought. I somehow forgot that the Ducks would be up against Detroit, the entire Media, and the NHL as a whole. Damn.

Plain and simple, the Ducks are going to have to play like angels if they want a chance in this series. There will be no room for sloppy play, because the entire NHL will be there to ensure the Ducks spend what is beyond their fair share of time in the penalty box.

So lets get right to it.

The Mike Brown hit.

–UPDATED–

Here’s a still image from the opposite angle. Thanks to Morbo over at BOC

I think he’s going to get a suspension. There is no way you lay a hit like that against the precious and untouchable Red Wings and not get slapped with a suspension…it doesn’t matter how guilty or innocent you are. Of course Mike Brown feels he’s innocent;

“I just hit him with my shoulder,” Brown said. “My elbow wasn’t up. My stick wasn’t up. It was just a clean hit. I wasn’t meaning to do any harm or anything. I was just playing physical. His head was down. I think they called it because he was cut and on the ice, but I think that was probably because of his visor. He had just gotten rid of the puck. It wasn’t late or anything.” OC Register

And of course, Jiri Hudler thinks it was dirty;

“I didn’t see him coming,” Hudler said. “It happened really quick. I didn’t have the puck for at least two seconds. It was kind of late, but there’s nothing I can do right now. Obviously, it’s a hit on the head. I don’t want to be out of line, but I hope (the League) will get a look at it and do the right thing.” From the Rink

And for a change, not every media personnel is kissing Detroit’s ass. Bob McKenzie from TSN;

“It’s really up to the National Hockey League to decide what is it that they want to do. I think the NHL is going to look at it and say it’s a five-minute major, it happened midway through the first period, Mike Brown is out of this game, there was no severe injury to Hudler other than the blood, he came back and he’s playing, and the Ducks had to play with 11 forwards the rest of the game. There may not be a suspension in this case.”Puck Daddy

My opinion? I think that the 5 minute major AND the game misconduct are more than enough. Late hit? A bit. However, a “bit” is more than enough and I’ll accept that. Hit to the head? NO. Malicious? NO. Where did the blood come from? HIS OWN VISOR! I honestly don’t think he deserves a suspension for the hit. Will they try and make this an example? Probably, even though it’s a poor case in my opinion. If the Ducks were on the other end would I want a suspension? In all honesty, even with my passionate dislike of the Red Wings, I’m going to say no. I’d like to think I have a good ability to step out of the box.

That’s my opinion. I want yours too…

Moving right along…

The Ducks lost this game because they were lazy in the final moments of the game. As much as I love Corey Perry and Bobby Effin Ryan, I’m sorry, but they failed me tonight. What were you boys doing STANDING AROUND?! There is no way you are going to win any games against Detroit if you’re busy hanging around waiting for them to make a mistake. It’s not going to happen. Instead, they waited for you to make a costly mistake in your own defensive end, and made you pay for it with less than 1 minute to go in the game. Maybe Effin doesn’t know what it’s like to see a goal in Joe Louis Arena with less than a minute to play, but Perry should remember that it’s those last minute ditch efforts that won him a cup 2 years ago.

The Ducks had their chances tonight. A few posts and shots gone wide…but again, I’ll refer you to this thought: It’s not how you play, it’s whether you win or lose. Those posts and wide misses are part of this game. You have to find a way to make those opportunities bounce in your favor. There was a huge spark of intensity from Teemu Selanne and his second linemates tonight. The chances for those guys are there. Andrew Ebbett, playing as hard as ever, taking hit after hit and still finding a way to get to the puck. Erik Christensen was right on the doorstep a few times tonight, and with a bounce here or there, the puck is in the back of the net. These guys are going to have to be the havoc makers in this series. I know Selanne can do it, the Ducks are just going to need a few more guys to step it up.

The Ducks have the ability to wear teams down. We saw that happen from time to time throughout this match up tonight and we saw it happen numerous times against San Jose. If they can continue to move the puck well, SKATE HARD and play smart defensive hockey, they can frustrate these Red Wings. I don’t think the Ducks played great tonight and in fact, I think we’ve seen them play BETTER here in the last few months. If you ask me…that’s a great sign. I think this means that a better game is on the way, and if that was Detroit’s best effort…well…

Anaheim fans have to remember one thing. This is definite bonus hockey for us. It looked like Anaheim wasn’t going to have a chance in hell at making the playoffs back in January. Had they made it…there seemed no way to get past the first round. Well, they’ve done BOTH of those things. We’re being treated to a special brand of bonus hockey and I think the team knows that. I don’t think this roster is going to give up without a fight.

And I kinda think they don’t like Detroit as much as the rest of us do.

GO DUCKS!!!

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Ducks in a Row…game 1.2

“Put all excuses aside and remember this: YOU are capable.”
-Zig Ziglar

This is going to be a battle…make no mistake about that. The Ducks are going to need to play with the continued fire and passion that they showed San Jose in the first round. There will be no time for rest once the puck drops today at 4pm.

We all know that the Ducks are up against a powerhouse. Their fan base alone (while yes, annoying) is going to play a huge factor in the first two games and hopefully this will help to fuel the fire behind the Ducks power.

One thing is for sure, the Ducks are going to need a lot of help from so many of their talented players to pull out victories. While yes Bobby Effin Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are going to be the big go to guys, the Ducks are going to need the presence of Teemu Selanne, Andrew Ebbett, Erik Christensen, Ryan Carter and so many of their other capable hands for scoring if they want to get this done.

On the other end, Jonas Hiller will have to once again be the wall that he was in the first round. We all know that he can’t do it alone. The Ducks’ defense which has proven itself to be amazing in it’s own right will need to provide all of the support they can in order to keep the front of the net clear.

Most important factor of all…no damn penalties. I know this will be an IMPOSSIBLE task for the Ducks to complete…but the less opportunities they give up, the better. The penalty kill stars Todd Marchant and Mike Brown are going be as crucial as ever in stopping a dominating PP unit.
The Ducks have a chance tonight…they’ll need to work hard and play like they want it more than the other guy.

GO DUCKS!!!

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Remember This Wings Fans?

My favorite game of the series against the Wings was Game 5. With the late goal by Scotty in the third off of Lidstrom’s stick and the impressive forechecking by Andy McDonald, Selanne was able to close out Game 5 in Overtime with this unforgettable goal against Hasek.

Selanne on Hasek

With Game 1 starting tomorrow in Detroit, as a bold Ducks fan I say Anaheim can win it in 6 just as they did two years ago. I think that the adrenaline of beating San Jose will carry over and the Wings will not be as prepared with an easy sweep of Columbus.

Anaheim will win one of those first two games in Detroit. They need to if they want to win the series at all.

The Ducks will close the series out on home ice at the Honda Center.

Getzlaf must continue to play his “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” style of play. Selanne needs to find the back of the net more often. Overall I am very pleased with our defenese, especially from Beauchemin and the newcomer James Wisniewski.

Detroit will be a great contender and by no means should be looked at as “just another huge ego” as many of us Ducks fans looked at San Jose. Many of those players know how to turn it on in the playoffs and will do so. I think that the lack of Draper will hurt them in Games 1 & 2, but only if people like Drew Miller, Todd Marchant and Andrew Ebbett can play similar to how they played in the series against the Sharks.

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Moving right along…

This will be my last statement about the San Jose Sharks and their first round loss to the Anaheim Ducks…I think.

This morning I was listening to XM 204 and they were talking about “what went wrong in San Jose?”

Here’s what I think about that very stupid question:

Nothing went wrong in San Jose. Nothing. A team that finishes the regular season 53-18-11 = 117 points and wins the Presidents Trophy…you did nothing wrong. Unfortunately you met up with a red hot Anaheim Ducks team and you couldn’t keep up. You paid for the Stanley Cup experienced roster in the previous off season and they helped to lead you through a regular season in an alarmingly fantastic manner. HOWEVER…your regular season pace was too slow for the post season. Now, you’re claiming injuries. Every team claims their injuries when they’ve been eliminated…no room for excuses there. I still believe that Bobby Ryan was injured in game 5. You play through those injuries in the post season.

I really wish that people would stop pointing blame at what the Sharks did wrong. Instead maybe someone will finally say…a really good team lost to a much better team. End of story.

—–

Enough of that madness, the Sharks are gone and the Ducks are moving on.

Tomorrow the puck drops on what will be a highly intense series in the NHL. Detroit hates Anaheim for the numerous upsets they have been dealt by the Ducks in the past and everyone else hates Detroit for being Detroit.

I won’t lie, they’re at the bottom of my list when it comes to opponents in the NHL. For various reasons that lie outside of their being the Yankees of hockey…I have to say one of those reasons is their fan base. I would LOVE to have a fan prove me wrong, and while yes, I can’t lump them all together…I’ve yet to meet a HUMBLE Red Wings fan. They apparently don’t posses the bone in their body that will allow them to say…hey, we lost because we didn’t play well. Or, yea…that team was better than ours. IF Detroit loses, the blame will always be on the opposing team or the refs.

So what does this mean to the Anaheim fan base? Look out. It doesn’t matter what you say about the Ducks or the Red Wings, you’re going to be wrong in their eyes. You can agree with them, and now you’re not a good enough Ducks fan. You can disagree, and they’ll be blaming YOU for the missed hooking call. You can be silent and sit back and watch and they’ll attack you for having no passion or pride in your team. It’s lose lose.

I suggest that the Anaheim fans do what they do best. Show up to games 3 and 4 and scream your ass off. Cheer like you’ve never cheered before. Wave your orange towel with pride. Suz Broughton and I will be doing just that during game 4…PROUDLY. I can’t wait!

I don’t care how many championships you’ve got. I don’t care that your fumbles in game 5 are the reasons for OUR cup. I care about tomorrow at 4pm (PACIFIC) when we meet you again in a classic battle of The NHL’s Untouchable Unicycle Wheel vs. The Always Underestimated Team that NO ONE Wants to Play.

Let the stress and the light-headedness begin!

GO DUCKS!!!

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Twitter Weekly Updates for TheDucksBlog.com

  • http://tinyurl.com/cudn3a #
  • ducks heading to the joe… curious to see what will happen with san jose… selanne scored the go ahead just like I said in my blog this AM #
  • I would like to see Ryan Getzlaf sing my like would suck without you tonight to Bobby Ryan after he gets the game winner. Thoughts? :) #
  • uuuughhhh…. ducks in 6…. #
  • So I came back in the room a few minutes later. Calmed down. Apologized to my wife for getting ticked. Then 5 minutes later we tie it. Wooho #
  • I was so mad when Setoguchi scored that I turned off the tv and left the room. My wife said “now they are in trouble” and I got ticked. #
  • And to think I turned the TV off and walked out of the room about 20 min ago after the SJ 2nd goal… my wife is patient with me… #
  • @sriggles you got that right… in reply to sriggles #
  • @SKeleven if you love ryan carter so much, why don’t you marry him? in reply to SKeleven #
  • WOO! Gotta love it! TIE GAME! #
  • my head & my heart say #Ducks win 4-2… but I really want to keep beating #San Jose. I am really enjoying it… I did call it in 6 tho… #
  • Am I a nerd because all of my external hard drives are named after Ducks players? Niedermayer, Pronger, Selanne, Perry, Giggiy, HIller. #
  • Retweeting @AnaheimDucks: Ducks Caravan for Game 5! Join us for the trip to San Jose! Meet tomorrow at 9am. Who’s in?! http://tr.im/jEOV #
  • Gotta love the game last night… will blog in next 24 hours on the victory, Bobby Ryan and not jumping the gun just yet… #

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Ducks Best The Best!

57303260Well, I am totally enjoying the rest that comes after winning a series. What a game!! Many things occurred that were a first for my eyes. First off the talk of today definitely has to be the Joe Thorton and Ryan Getzlaf tussle two seconds into the game. I read this morning that Joe had actually challenged Getz to fight in game five, but according to Getz he did not feel it was appropriate having a 3-1 lead in the series. God, you have to love hockey! This one of many reason why people should bee watching this more than any other sport. The little battles that are all part of the big picture! OK back to the game….the the big centers went at it and quickly set the tone for the rest of the night. I had said in game 5 that this type of game play was too intense for the Sharks to keep pace with and eventually they would run out of gas. I had hoped that would have happened in the 3rd period of game 5, but I’ll take game 6 any day!

Then it happened…a barrage of penalties against the good guys and the sharks go on one of 4 (I think) power plays eventually scoring first. the first thought that entered My mind was hearing Brian “Hazy” Hayward say that teams that score first in this series have gone on to win the game. So naturally I was not happy. Thankfully the Ducks struck back and scored before the end of the period and tied it up. That alone led me to believe that the Ducks were going to clamp down, tighten the vice grip (*LA) and shut the Guppies down like they did every team in 2007.

In the end there were many great moments; some comedic (Perry being dragged by the skates), others agonizing (Boyle breaking his stick realizing a goal went in off it), and also satisfying moments like Getz and Thorton hugging and shaking hands, JR spending extra time on the ice with Nieds and Hiller, and watching “Big Joe” slam his water bottle on the bench. We’ve been there before, specifically last season when we could not figure out the Stars to get past the first round, (I still have no0t forgotten you, Turco). Probably the one that hurt the most was when the OT goal in game 5 slowly etched it’s way over the line giving the Sharks the win, man! That sucked! What a series! (Oh, and there’s this uncomfortable moment I found for Sharks fans)

57302828

So now we play the Red Wings. The defending Stanley Cup Champions. As one of my friends put it; “I hope the Sharks beat the Ducks! We can’t beat the Ducks.” What i think is funny is that we went from being the forgotten team that just barely made it into the playoffs, to the team no one wants to face. How did that happen? I think everyone was secretly relieved when we had such a bad regular season, so much so that no one thought they even had to make plans to face the Ducks. Now, the Wings are no slouches, and I continue to give the respect that I give all opponents. I’m not here to make predictions or attack the Wings, all I am saying is that we need to play at the same level we played the Sharks. After all, the Sharks are still the best team in the NHL, as of last night.

What I love now are all the Wings fans coming out of the wood work with their anti-Ducks sentiment. It seems with each round and each opponent there is always trash talk that comes our way. I especially like this Detroit fan page that breaks down the reasons why we’ll lose by re-introducing us to key players on Detroit’s squad. I couldn’t help it but to comment at the bottom.

Well, let’s all relax for one day, because round 2 starts Friday! I love playoff hockey. Remember what I said from the beginning of the playoffs, I like our chances in a seven game series, because in the playoffs…..anything is possible! Go Ducks!

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Seaons are nice, but the Playoffs are better

“You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone. Not fit to f*@#!ing tread the ground that I am walking on!”
-Harder to Breathe; Maroon 5

I’ve been waiting to use that one for a while now. It feels good.

You know what else? Barry Melrose must look like a GENIUS right now! Basically the ONLY “expert” to have picked the Ducks to take the first round from the PRESIDENT TROPHY WINNING SAN JOSE SHARKS…the Ducks are convincingly victorious in my opinion.

I don’t like to talk about the games…some of you may have noticed on Twitter. A typical response from me is…”Shhhhhhhhh!” Don’t be offended, I just don’t want to talk about it. Okay, catch me in November against Edmonton or something, and I MIGHT join in on some trash talk, but I don’t touch the playoffs with a ten foot pole. However, I have NO PROBLEMS talking about the now eliminated San Jose Sharks. The joy that I feel right now, having seen the EIGHTH seeded Ducks REMOVE the PRESIDENTS TROPHY WINNING SAN JOSE SHARKS, that joy is indescribable.

Here is something I said to a few people…very few people…

On Saturday, the Ducks were awful…no kidding right? The first two periods were terrible and YET, they found a way to come back and tie it up. That, to me, was a HUGE motivational boost for this Ducks team. I think with that loss, while yes it sucked, still showed that they are able to beat this team and they might just be BETTER THAN SAN JOSE! Which is all they needed to know about themselves! With the amazing victory last night, I think they proved to the rest of NHL that the Ducks are that good.

It seems to me that San Jose is a great team. There is no doubt that they had the ability to go far this post season. It’s just unfortunate for them that they were forced to face the team that “no one wants to play”. So what’s next for San Jose? Tee Time and a long restful summer with the Presidents Trophy! There isn’t anything better than that right? Oh wait…Stanley…he’s better…but they wouldn’t know that feeling.

In all sincerity, San Jose was a great team this season. They didn’t just win the Presidents Trophy by luck, they were good enough to deserve it. They dominated at home and they dominated in most of the games they played. Unfortunately they were hot during the wrong time of the year. On the other end…the Ducks got hot at just the right time.

Next time? Nah, not if the Ducks have anything to say about it.

Mini has given up seafood for this victory. Every year she gives up something for each round pertaining to the team the Ducks are playing. She no longer votes for Senators and for a year refused to have Little Caesars pizza. Last year she gave up Famous Star burgers…but that one didn’t work out too well. So this year…she’s not allowed to have seafood until THE NEXT SEASONS PLAYOFFS BEGIN! It’ll be a tough year for her, but the hockey gods have called for it, and now she must pay. I love her for it! :)

Highlight of the night? Yea, there are the obvious…Teemu Selanne finally breaking though; Jonas Hiller the Shark Killer was amazing YET again (probably the MVP for the Ducks in the first round); Francois Beauchemin, the poor mans Scotty, who is insanely underrated; Scott Niedermayer himself, amazing as always; Ryan Getzlaf who is GOLD when he shoots the puck and provided a huge dominating physical presence last night. But my highlight? Mini says, with 14:00 minutes left in the 3rd period…”When are they (San Jose) going to pull him (Nabokov)?” I LOVE YOU MINI! It was classic- and man, I love her thinking! :)

Okay, something else that I have chosen to keep hidden from this first round. On Thursday morning I woke up stressing as always about the playoff game that night. For some reason, as I was waking from my restful slumber, I kept thinking we were playing DETROIT that night! I don’t know why I kept thinking about Detroit, but for some reason I kept thinking we had a huge game against them that Thursday evening. When the Ducks managed to take care of business on Thursday night, I was feeling pretty good about my subconscious premonitions.

This playoff run is just getting started, but in terms of small victories…taking down the Presidents Trophy San Jose Sharks…that just feels DAMN GOOD doesn’t it?!

I’ll gladly eat my words any day of the week! Which is exactly why I don’t talk about games beforehand. I’d rather not gloat that a team is going to win and eat THOSE words…I’d rather be a little more humble about it to begin with. Which brings me to this. The final match up against the Chicago Blackhawks (I know, you’re thinking…we haven’t played them in months…what is she talking about?…I’m getting to it), I did a little Q & A with the Committed Indian over at Second City Hockey. The final question was if I thought the Ducks would make the playoffs and if I thought it would be worth it. Here’s that Q & A:

Are you guys gonna make the playoffs? Is there any point?

That’s the million dollar question in Ducks land right now. Honestly, with how tight everything is in the West, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t. The problem is we’re all still waiting for this team to catch fire. With so few games left (especially for the Ducks), that fire better be now. Is there any point? Probably not. The Ducks have had serious issues with first place AND last place teams this season. I can’t foresee them upsetting any of the top teams in the West.

I LOVE eating those words!

—–

Small exhale, as I begin to hold my breath for…ugh, do we have to talk about it already? Detroit.

Total side note. We have a friend who decided to tune in and watch some of the game. He sent my friend a text, “Who is that Miller? He’s awesome!” we all laughed that he MUST have meant HILLER, but that it was a typo…sure enough about 20 minutes later he sent back…”OOPS, I meant HILLER, not MILLER.” …yea, okay, it was funny.

I saw this one the other day…and it made me think of both the Ducks and the Sharks in this first round. I wanted to make sure it was true though before I posted it…

“Losing streaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning, you get off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, you’re in a slump. If you lose at the end, you’re choking.”
-Gene Mauch

GO DUCKS!!! OH! And Happy Birthday to my Mom!

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Ducks in a Row…game 6

“In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time.”
-Robert Collier

Here is hoping that the Ducks have evaluated Saturday night’s loss, reflected, learned from it, and will now move on.

There is no time like tonight to try and finish this thing off. Notice I said TRY!!! Nothing about this game is guaranteed. Nothing about tonight is certain.

Both the fans and this Ducks team need to remember that.

The fans are going to need to bring 110% of their loyalties and dedication to this team tonight. Without the fans support and encouragement this game is going to be a tough battle.

On the same note, the guys are going to need to bring 150% of themselves. They are facing a team who is up against elimination- and we all saw what kind of determination they brought to the table on Saturday night. The Ducks must be faster, smarter, stronger.

This game is not impossible, but it is imperative…I, for one, do not want to see this series go to a game 7!

The Ducks are going to require the services of their top two lines tonight. Once again Bobby Effin Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are going to need to dominate on all ends of the ice. In addition, it’s equally necessary to see the second line step up. Teemu Selanne has been absent lately, and now would be as good a time as any to show up!

And once again, we will need to see Jonas Hiller as the human wall.

I’m already nervous and I’m already shaking in my Nike’s (literally, I’m wearing the Ducks Nike’s today).

There is no time like today…

GO DUCKS!!!

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What May Come

The Ducks have an important game  tonight in Anaheim. There are a few advantages to the situation the boys in black have. Must-win games familiarity, home ice and the elimination record.

All this season the Ducks have played games where they were in “must-win” situations. With the rest of the season upon them at the trade deadline, the Ducks found themselves to be a team on the outside looking in. Somehow, some miraculous way, Coach Randy Carlyle got his new blood team to band together and get back up to the 8th seed. The Sharks have coasted through out the season and while the President Trophy winners have obviously played spectacular, they haven’t had to turn on the heat when it mattered. Here’s to hoping the Ducks know how to turn on that heat easily.

Home ice. Every elimination game that the Ducks faced in 2007 during the Stanley Cup run ended in a victory. Anaheim fans need to rise and intimidate the Sharks. There must be no seat left unsold, no shirt left turned Orange, Black or White. While home ice this season has not be a factor for the Ducks, it has been in the past two years. Fans know how to support their team in this town, but that is not to say that we have been doing the best job as of late.

Selanne's actions are a major factor in the outcome of the game tonight.

Selanne's actions are a major factor in the outcome of the game tonight.

The elimination record. The Ducks are around 14-6 now in games where their opponent faces elimination. The Sharks are 5-16 when they face elimination. I do not have the exact stats with me, but I quote from memory from Versus televised broadcast Saturday night. The Ducks know how to destroy the hope of a team looking for the faith that they can win.

I expect a big showing from Selanne, Getzlaf and Scott Niedermayer tonight. I would throw Hiller in there too, but I am enjoying being surprised by him way too much. Selanne needs to bring his game up just enough to get a goal. I was impressed by his play on Saturday night and his crossbar hit was heartbreaking, but his veteran leadership isn’t enough on its own. He needs to get a goal or an assist on a key goal.

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