11-13-05 Ducks vs. Stars

Anaheim vs Dallas

5:00 PM Pacific

FSN2

Mighty Duck center Sergei Fedorov made his first appearance since the home opener Oct. 10 after sitting out 13 games because of a strained groin muscle.

Fedorov played 14 minutes 11 seconds Saturday night against the Phoenix Coyotes and the 35-year-old veteran had three shots on goal. His best chance was in the second period when he was stopped by Coyote goalie Curtis Joseph on a rebound try.

"It went well," Fedorov said. "I got a couple of shots on net and skated well. It didn't bother me at all. My groin was comfortable."

...Right wing Corey Perry also returned after suffering a concussion Oct. 28 against the St. Louis Blues that put him out for five games. Perry was leveled by Blue captain Dallas Drake, a hit that resulted in Drake's two-game suspension.

The worst part about the injury, Perry said, was the inability to work out until his post-concussion symptoms went away. The 20-year-old rookie didn't resume practicing until Tuesday.

"It's been a long two weeks," said Perry, who assisted on Ryan Getzlaf's goal Saturday. "It's great to be back on the ice and help the hockey club."

...Carlyle offered the rookie a job to keep busy while he was sidelined.

"I was sitting on the medical table and Randy walks by and says, 'Well, since you're not doing anything, why don't you wash our cars while we're gone,' " Perry said. "He didn't tell me what kind of wash he wanted." :biglaugh:

LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-duckrep13nov13,1,1468258.story?coll=la-headlines-sports)

A team that has Fedorov, Sykora, Lupul, McDonald, and Selanne and we have problems scoring? The guys are getting their chances but they just can't put it in the net. Getzlaf is the only guy who doesn't have that problem. The line combos against the Yotes were aweful IMO. McDonald and Selanne should be together so they can utilize each other speed. Getzlaf has chemistry with Perry so put them together. Give R. Nied a chance to play more minutes on a top line.

RNied Fedorov Lupul
Hedstrom McDonald Selanne
Fedoruk Getzlaf Perry
Moen Pahlsson Sykora

Sykora on 4th line with 2 guys who have absolutely zero offense in them?? Uhhuh...

Is Giguere getting the start tonight?

Sykora on 4th line with 2 guys who have absolutely zero offense in them?? Uhhuh...

The Ducks need to roll four lines if it wants to compete with the top teams. Each line needs to have a balance between speed, scoring, and grit. But I guess you want to load all the skill players on one line and all the grunts on another.

Ducks need to play more physical. Losing 2-0.

Once again, Sykora is useless. Lots of flash, but no results. It's time to dump him.

We also need someone other than Salei shooting from the point on the PP. His shots are 2/3 speed, telegraphed, and never get there.

Where is Federov?
Where is Sykora?
Where is Ozolinsh?
Where is S Niedermayer?
That's probably half the payroll. Doing nothing.

If it weren't for Selanne, AndyMac and the kids, we'd have no scoring at all.

I didn't like them letting go a 20-goal scorer and leader in Rucchin for next to nothing at the time and I'm liking it even less now. Where's the scoring and leadership on this team? The only real veteran leadership in the locker room is Carney and S. Niedermayer. Good teams have at least twice that number. Look at L.A. right now or the Ducks run to the Finals two seasons ago when they had Carney, Rucchin, Kariya, Thomas and Oates. Lots of kids is a great thing, but there's no one (especially at forward) to lead them.

RNied Fedorov Lupul
Hedstrom McDonald Selanne
Fedoruk Getzlaf Perry
Moen Pahlsson Sykora

Moen is a healthy scratch.

Kunitz is playing.

Brennan the other healthy scratch.

-Why does every opposing goalie decide to have their best game of the season against us?

-Would have liked to see a penalty on the Kunitz breakaway. Not enough for a penalty shot but in the new NHL anytime a stick is on the player in that situation it should be an automatic 2 minute hooking penalty. I notice we are stuck with the same 2 refs from yesterday.

-The only fun line to watch right now is Fedoruk-Getzlaf-Perry...everyone else is frustrating me.

-What did Moen do to get healthy scratched?

-Giguere injured again...great news...

Figures the only goal the Ducks can get comes thanks to a Stars player :biglaugh:. You had to know with the way this game has gone. At least this might fire the Ducks up.

Ducks are snakebitten. We need to get out of this funk. The players are getting their shots and some chances but they just can't score. Its really sad that the only goal we scored was by the opponent's defensemen.

This team has plenty of offensive talent, but can't seem to score goals. 80+ shots the last two nights, only 2 goals. That's a problem. Hopefully Giguere is ok, he's been this teams best player and they struggled to winn games last time he went down.

I'm not able to watch the Ducks games(infact, Ducks' games are the only ones I don't get out of all 30 teams in the league) but I don't understand how they can have so many shots but so little goals. Have they been getting quality shots/scoring chances and the opposition's goalie is just playing amazing or are all their shots just mediocre so the opposing goalie isn't really being tested?

Btw, the way the Ducks have been playing sure isn't helping to improve the attendance.

A team that has Fedorov, Sykora, Lupul, McDonald, and Selanne and we have problems scoring? The guys are getting their chances but they just can't put it in the net. Getzlaf is the only guy who doesn't have that problem. The line combos against the Yotes were aweful IMO. McDonald and Selanne should be together so they can utilize each other speed. Getzlaf has chemistry with Perry so put them together. Give R. Nied a chance to play more minutes on a top line.

RNied Fedorov Lupul
Hedstrom McDonald Selanne
Fedoruk Getzlaf Perry
Moen Pahlsson Sykora

IMO:
RNied-Fedorov-Lupul
Fedoruk-McDonald-Selanne
Sykora-Getzlaf-Perry
Moen-Pahlsson-Hedstrom

extras:Kunitz, Brennan

use those lines, and we won't have any scoring trouble.

anyway, how were the lines tonight?

so, tell me, how come Penner has not been called up yet?

I never thought it was possible to outshoot your opponent 2 to 1 and be outplayed.

I guess you learn something new everyday.

what the hell does Carlyle say to them between periods? it was the same unmotivated slop all night...and the back to back should be no excuse, they had five days off, not to mention DALLAS also playing a back to back.

I didn't like them letting go a 20-goal scorer and leader in Rucchin for next to nothing at the time and I'm liking it even less now. Where's the scoring and leadership on this team? The only real veteran leadership in the locker room is Carney and S. Niedermayer. Good teams have at least twice that number. Look at L.A. right now or the Ducks run to the Finals two seasons ago when they had Carney, Rucchin, Kariya, Thomas and Oates. Lots of kids is a great thing, but there's no one (especially at forward) to lead them.
There needs to be some trades, too many bodies and not enough spots for everyone to get their ice time.

a month ago I was against trading sykora, I am now 100 percent behind it because he is being outplayed by Kunitz, Perry, and Getzlaf..Konopka wasn't lookin' bad either.

These last two games can be summed up by the phrase, "Oh, and he just misfires..."

-What did Moen do to get healthy scratched?

Same thing Kunitz did the night before... nothing. I'd imagine both are fine with platooning in that one spot versus playing every night in the AHL.

Once again, Sykora is useless. Lots of flash, but no results. It's time to dump him.

We also need someone other than Salei shooting from the point on the PP. His shots are 2/3 speed, telegraphed, and never get there.
I was at this game, and I thought the exact same things. Sykora....awful. It's like he refuses to shoot until there's someone directly in front of the puck. I thought Selanne and Getzlaf looked good. Carney and Niedermayer had okay games on D. Other than that...pfft. Whatever. They shot a lot but never at the right times, and almost never with traffic in front. That certainly wasn't as dominating a game by the Ducks as the shot count suggests, and I frankly don't think Turco played all that well.

Speaking of goalies not playing well in this game, maybe Giguere was suffering from embarassment?

IMO:
anyway, how were the lines tonight?

Excellent question. I've been watching for five weeks and I still couldn't tell you what the line combos are. Selanne tends to play with Getzlaf. That's about it. Carlyle needs to figure this stuff out already. Every combo known to man has been tried.

Excellent question. I've been watching for five weeks and I still couldn't tell you what the line combos are. Selanne tends to play with Getzlaf. That's about it. Carlyle needs to figure this stuff out already. Every combo known to man has been tried.
He's so much like babcock in that regard, and no that's not good.

It's time for Sykora to go, maybe we can package him and Salei together for a moderately priced defensemen or physical forward.

sykora+salei package will get a nice return at the trade deadline, you can bet on that.

There needs to be some trades, too many bodies and not enough spots for everyone to get their ice time.


Agreed. Carlyle is trying to have 4 scoring lines and it's obviously not working. It's time to try the traditional 2 scoring lines, 1 shut down line and 1 energy line of the old NHL.

. . . It's time for Sykora to go, maybe we can package him and Salei together for a moderately priced defensemen or physical forward.
We'd have to move early -- they're both UFAs at the end of this season.

We'd have to move early -- they're both UFAs at the end of this season.

At the deadline that is actually a good thing. Most of their salaries have already been payed for and a cup contending team would be glad to rent a top 6 forward and top 4 d-man for a couple months rather than be stuck with their contract next year.

The Ducks need to roll four lines if it wants to compete with the top teams. Each line needs to have a balance between speed, scoring, and grit. But I guess you want to load all the skill players on one line and all the grunts on another.

Well sometimes you just have to realize the situation and forget about "rolling 4 lines" since it can also cripple the team. I think they should now make 2 clear cut offensive minded lines and two that would be more defensive. Ducks simply do not have the material to spread out like that. It is eating away from Fedorov, Teemu and Sykora. Only Selänne has so far been able to raise the level of his young linemates, but Sykora and Fedo are struggling. I'd put Sykora with Selänne and McDonald, Fedorov with Getzlaf and someone else...you take your pick. Only stocked teams can roll four lines and be effective. This way the star players get more ice time and better linemates and they should be able to contribute better, when there is for example someone to finish their passes.

...Giguere, who said he was dehydrated, winced and held his leg as he skated off the ice. "It was a pretty intense muscle cramp," he said. "I've always been a heavy sweater. Every game I lose at least 10 pounds or more."

..."You have to have a 60-minute effort and that's the only way we're going to get ourselves out of this," center Rob Niedermayer said.

"The other team's goalie shouldn't be the first star every game," rookie forward Joffrey Lupul said. "We're going to be better Wednesday, I guarantee that. We'll come out and play a lot better in the first period than we did tonight."

LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ducks14nov14,1,75844.story?coll=la-headlines-sports)

Well I'm sick of Carlyle mixing and matching lines and trying to roll 4 lines of scorers. We are averaging 1.5 goals per game in our last 6 games so this isn't working. Lets get back to where players have defined rolls. Let Niedermayer, Pahlsson and Hedstrom be defensive minded players, let Fedoruk and Moen stir things up and let our 6 most talented scorers get tons of ice time to score.

McDonald-Fedorov-Lupul (scoring line #1)
Selanne-Getzlaf-Sykora (scoring line #2)
Niedermayer-Pahlsson-Hedstrom (shutdown line)
Fedoruk-Konopka-Moen (energy line)

Kunitz, Brennan healthy scratches

Perry to the AHL for first line minutes and to regain his confidence until Sykora is traded. Konopka recalled for the more traditional fourth line center role which we currently have no one to fill.

I have two words -- Carlyle Sucks !!!!!

-Why does every opposing goalie decide to have their best game of the season against us?
Turco wasn't great or anything, yea he was good and made saves he should, but it wasn't like he made some great saves. The shots are mis-leading. Are two best chances missed the net (Carney/Fedoruk).

Figures the only goal the Ducks can get comes thanks to a Stars player
Its really sad that the only goal we scored was by the opponent's defensemen.
Hedstrom got a little lucky with the goal but he creates that chance by driving the puck to the net. Any other player on the team would of settled for a shot from the faceoff dot, instead Hedstrom took it hard to the net, Lupul take a note.

Well sometimes you just have to realize the situation and forget about "rolling 4 lines" since it can also cripple the team. I think they should now make 2 clear cut offensive minded lines and two that would be more defensive. Ducks simply do not have the material to spread out like that. It is eating away from Fedorov, Teemu and Sykora. Only Selänne has so far been able to raise the level of his young linemates, but Sykora and Fedo are struggling. I'd put Sykora with Selänne and McDonald, Fedorov with Getzlaf and someone else...you take your pick. Only stocked teams can roll four lines and be effective. This way the star players get more ice time and better linemates and they should be able to contribute better, when there is for example someone to finish their passes.
Fedorov will be fine, I liked his speed yesterday there are just too many bodies for too few spots IMO. my idea..

Mcdonald(or Niedermayer/Fedorov/Lupul...Fedorov and Lupul have some chemistry, you can add Rob to be the guy down low along the boards trying to hold the puck. If you want more speed insert mcdonald.

Perry/Getzlaf/Selanne...Getzlaf and Selanne compliment each other well, Getzlaf and Perry seem to have some chemistry, I see alot of potential here

Fedoruk/Pahlsson/Hedstrom...good shutdown potential. Fedoruk and Hedstrom are both physical players, Pahlsson is a very good defensive center.

Moen/Kunitz/McDonald(or brennan, or Konopa)...I really like Kunitz, he is fast, he plays physical.

As you will notice, no sykora, the only other guys you can sit are kunitz, mcdonald, and moen...there has to be something coming.

Turco wasn't great at all. The Ducks hardly dominated the game, they just took more shots from the outside and couldn't get ANY rebounds.

Dallas scored when they had the chance, the Ducks didn't... end of story.

Agreed. Carlyle is trying to have 4 scoring lines and it's obviously not working. It's time to try the traditional 2 scoring lines, 1 shut down line and 1 energy line of the old NHL.

with the talent this team has, I can easily see us having 3 scoring lines, but he just screws up his line combos. The lines I have posted earlier in this thread would be perfect. That 4th line would put in some good numbers as well, nothing spectacular, but good for a 4th line.

...Giguere, who said he was dehydrated, winced and held his leg as he skated off the ice. "It was a pretty intense muscle cramp," he said. "I've always been a heavy sweater. Every game I lose at least 10 pounds or more."

Pansy. That 7-shot barrage must have really thrown him for a loop.