Duck hunting season
It's going to be a nasty season series for the Ducks and Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks (6) vs Colorado Avalanche (4) .......
A lot of verbal jabs were bounced back and forth between the two respective GMs well before this game was played on the ice but when it was it didn't disappoint.
The game remained scoreless until the 14:22 mark of the opening frame when the Ducks would count two goals inside of a minute off the sticks of Derek Stepan (29th) and Patrice Bergeron (24th), Bergeron's on the powerplay with Av's Brenden Dillon off for slashing. Then it was Colorado's turn with the extra attacker, in fact the Avs would score consecutive powerplay goals 1:21 apart to close out the period as Lubomir Visnovsky ripped a slapper through Rask, his 6th of the season, then John Carlson notched his 4th of the season as he deposited a rebound off the boards over Rask's shoulder as Victor Hedman watched helplessly from the sin bin with a second remaining.
After a fast, hectic first period that saw 4 goals (3 on powerplay), there was just a single goal in the middle frame, it came off the stick of Patrice Bergeron (his second of the night, both on the powerplay) again the culprit, Brenden Dillon who was sitting two minutes for hooking. Still a close game at 3-2 Ducks, with the shots 22-17 after forty.
Down by one Colorado came out quick and with purpose as they wanted to let the Ducks they wouldn't go away without a fight. Dustin Penner with just his second of the season at (5:00) and defenseman Justin Faulk (11th) just thirty-four seconds later with the extra skater as Bret Clark looked on nervously from the penalty box. With that goal the Avs took their first lead of the game which last just under six minutes before Anaheim rattled off three straight goals in four minutes and four seconds, starting with Logan Couture's 24th on the powerplay with the Av's Dillon again the player in the box. Matt Moulson (33rd) put the Ducks back in the lead, this time for good as Rick Nash with his 32nd would count as the insurance marker at 15:25 and the Avs wouldn't get the equalizer despite out-shooting the Ducks in the third 17-10 and overall 34-32. Tuukka Rask made 30 saves for his 30th win of the season in the victory while at the other end Craig Anderson made 26 saves in losing for just the 3rd time this season.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Patrice Bergeron (Ana)....... 2 goals, 1 assist, +2, 3 shots
2 - Matt Moulson (Ana)........... 1 goal, 2 assists, +2, 2 shots
3 - Rick Nash (Ana).................. 1 goal, 1 assist, +2, 2 shots
HONORABLE MENTION:
Derek Stepan (Ana)................. 1 goal, 1 assist, +1, 6 shots
GAME'S GOAT:
Brenden Dillon (Col)................ -1, 6 PIM. although his numbers aren't horrible Brenden was in the box for two of Anaheim's three powerplay goals.
NEXT UP:
The Ducks are back on the ice on Sunday night as the face the Western Conference's 12th place squad in the Vancouver Canucks. Then the Flyers come to town on Monday night, Philly dropped their second straight Saturday night game to the Capitals, 3-2. Then it will be the game that most of the league will have their eyes on as the Ducks travel back to Colorado to take on the Avs on Tuesday night, but with three games in three nights will the Ducks run out of gas in the re-match.
The Avalanche may have a leg up on Anaheim on their re-match as they are off until the Ducks come to town on Tuesday. Then it's off to Music City USA to take on the Predators on Wednesday, then it's back home to host the Coyotes on Friday. The Coyotes sit in 11th in the West, playing .500 hockey in their last ten games.
Reporting For The WCHL Network.......
Peter Puck
It's going to be a nasty season series for the Ducks and Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks (6) vs Colorado Avalanche (4) .......
A lot of verbal jabs were bounced back and forth between the two respective GMs well before this game was played on the ice but when it was it didn't disappoint.
The game remained scoreless until the 14:22 mark of the opening frame when the Ducks would count two goals inside of a minute off the sticks of Derek Stepan (29th) and Patrice Bergeron (24th), Bergeron's on the powerplay with Av's Brenden Dillon off for slashing. Then it was Colorado's turn with the extra attacker, in fact the Avs would score consecutive powerplay goals 1:21 apart to close out the period as Lubomir Visnovsky ripped a slapper through Rask, his 6th of the season, then John Carlson notched his 4th of the season as he deposited a rebound off the boards over Rask's shoulder as Victor Hedman watched helplessly from the sin bin with a second remaining.
After a fast, hectic first period that saw 4 goals (3 on powerplay), there was just a single goal in the middle frame, it came off the stick of Patrice Bergeron (his second of the night, both on the powerplay) again the culprit, Brenden Dillon who was sitting two minutes for hooking. Still a close game at 3-2 Ducks, with the shots 22-17 after forty.
Down by one Colorado came out quick and with purpose as they wanted to let the Ducks they wouldn't go away without a fight. Dustin Penner with just his second of the season at (5:00) and defenseman Justin Faulk (11th) just thirty-four seconds later with the extra skater as Bret Clark looked on nervously from the penalty box. With that goal the Avs took their first lead of the game which last just under six minutes before Anaheim rattled off three straight goals in four minutes and four seconds, starting with Logan Couture's 24th on the powerplay with the Av's Dillon again the player in the box. Matt Moulson (33rd) put the Ducks back in the lead, this time for good as Rick Nash with his 32nd would count as the insurance marker at 15:25 and the Avs wouldn't get the equalizer despite out-shooting the Ducks in the third 17-10 and overall 34-32. Tuukka Rask made 30 saves for his 30th win of the season in the victory while at the other end Craig Anderson made 26 saves in losing for just the 3rd time this season.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Patrice Bergeron (Ana)....... 2 goals, 1 assist, +2, 3 shots
2 - Matt Moulson (Ana)........... 1 goal, 2 assists, +2, 2 shots
3 - Rick Nash (Ana).................. 1 goal, 1 assist, +2, 2 shots
HONORABLE MENTION:
Derek Stepan (Ana)................. 1 goal, 1 assist, +1, 6 shots
GAME'S GOAT:
Brenden Dillon (Col)................ -1, 6 PIM. although his numbers aren't horrible Brenden was in the box for two of Anaheim's three powerplay goals.
NEXT UP:
The Ducks are back on the ice on Sunday night as the face the Western Conference's 12th place squad in the Vancouver Canucks. Then the Flyers come to town on Monday night, Philly dropped their second straight Saturday night game to the Capitals, 3-2. Then it will be the game that most of the league will have their eyes on as the Ducks travel back to Colorado to take on the Avs on Tuesday night, but with three games in three nights will the Ducks run out of gas in the re-match.
The Avalanche may have a leg up on Anaheim on their re-match as they are off until the Ducks come to town on Tuesday. Then it's off to Music City USA to take on the Predators on Wednesday, then it's back home to host the Coyotes on Friday. The Coyotes sit in 11th in the West, playing .500 hockey in their last ten games.
Reporting For The WCHL Network.......
Peter Puck
