About the Ducks - 11-03-09
A preview of the Ducks.
When and where: 10 p.m., Honda Center.
TV: FSN Pittsburgh, Prime.
Record: 4-6-2, 10 points. The Ducks are in 14th place in the Western Conference and last place in the Pacific Divison.
Leading Scorer: Corey Perry, 15 points (eight goals, seven assists).
Last Game: 3-2 road shootout loss to the Coyotes, Saturday. Jonas Hiller made 30 saves in the loss.
Last Game against the Penguins: 3-1 road loss, Jan. 16. Matt Cooke scored two goals.
Ducks Player We Would Bet Money On Scoring: Teemu Selanne. He nearly has a career average of two points a game against the Penguins. In 17 games versus Pittsburgh, he has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists).
Ex-Penguins on the Ducks: Randy Carlyle, head coach; Erik Christensen, C; Ryan Whitney (above), D.
Ex-Ducks/Mighty Ducks on the Penguins: Dan Bylsma, head coach; Chris Kunitz, LW; Martin Skoula, D.
Useless Ducks Trivia Vaguely Related to the Penguins: Randy Carlyle won the Norris Trophy in 1981 with the Penguins. He is one of three Norris Trophy winners who have also won the Stanley Cup as a head coach. The other are Tom Johnson and Larry Robinson.
Best Mighty Ducks YouTube Video We Could Find: Dan Bylsma lifting a pretty nice backhander by former Thrashers goaltender Milan Hnilicka in a 2001-02 game:
Notes:
-Marc-Andre Fleury (9-2-0, 2.07 GAA, .918 SV%) and Jonas Hiller (4-4-1, 2.91 GAA, .916 SV%) are your expected starters in net.
-For the Penguins, forward Evgeni Malkin (shoulder) is out. Forward Tyler Kennedy (undisclosed) is day-to-day. Defenseman Sergei Gonchar (wrist) and Maxime Talbot (shoulder) are on injured reserve.
-For the Ducks, goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere (groin) is day-to-day. Defenseman James Wisniewski is suspended.
-Dan Bylsma said Kennedy has a pretty good chance of playing tonight.
-Mike Rupp is digging life with the Penguins.
-Speaking of Mike Rupp:
-He scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in 2003 for the Devils against Dan Bylsma's Ducks.
-Do yourself a favor and read this wonderful column by Mark Whicker from The Orange County Register about Bylsma's rise as a head coach in the NHL.
-Bylsma is going "home" for a few days.
-The Ducks have actually put forward Erik Christensen on waivers. If he clears, he will be demoted to an AHL team. The Ducks do not have an AHL affiliate and have been farming out a lot of their players to other AHL teams.
-"It’s pretty weird playing against them." - Ryan Whitney on facing his former team, the Penguins.
-The Ducks demoted forward Matt Beleskey to San Antonio of the AHL.
-Our live blog begins at approximately 10 p.m. Please drink some coffee, stay up and tune in.
(Photo: Paul Connors/Associated Press)