LA Sports Day » Ducks

Great Ending to Game 6

Derek Felix — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:54:43 +0000

Anyone who saw the conclusion of Game Six between the Ducks and Red Wings must have loved it. How awesome was that? From Marian Hossa nearly setting up Pavel Datsyuk for a tying goal with only a remarkable acrobatic save from Jonas Hiller preventing a two-goal comeback in the final 2:25 to the three separate pairs of stars engaged as the buzzer sounded.

That was about as cool as it gets. Ryan Getzlaf punching Hossa along the boards. Scott Niedermayer elbowing Datsyuk and then the two squaring off and Corey Perry getting a few rights in on Brian Rafalski. That is the definition of Playoff Hockey!

The exciting conclusion sets the stage for a do-or-die Game Seven to be played back at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit tomorrow night. Man oh man. How I am looking forward to that along with the other Game 7′s with the first delicious one on the entree list featuring Sidney Crosby and the Pens visiting Alex Ovechkin and the Caps later tonight. Gary Thorne once said there’s no better theater than a deciding Game 7. How right he is. Both teams laying it all on the line. One goes home for the summer while the other battles on.

For as tough as the conclusion of the opening round was in these parts, that’s how much fun the Conference Semis have been, providing some of the best playoff hockey in years. Add three more series going the distance following our two Hudson clubs falling in Round One. That’s already five Game 7′s! How awesome is that?!?!?!?!?!

Let’s not forget how exciting the conclusion of the Blackhawks and Canucks was with Game Six as unpredictable as it gets. That tells ya how great this round has been. Every match-up has gone at least six and Boston has finally shown the heart we thought it had forcing a seventh game back in their place against Carolina.

Whatever happens, the other three teams who move on to the Conference Finals will have really earned it. As the hated Terrell Owens would say:

“Getcha your popcorn ready!”

Rangers Drop Ducks

Joe McDonald — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:39:52 +0000

Scott Gomez had a goal and an assist in the Rangers win.

NEW YORK – The New York Rangers rode stellar special teams play to beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night and head into the All-Star break in first place in the Atlantic Division. All four Rangers goals came from special teams units, with the eventual game winner scored by Scott Gomez on a third period powerplay.

“It is a great feeling to come back after a couple of road games to get a good solid win, going into the break,” said goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers sole All Star had another stellar night, stopping 32 of 34 shots he faced, his 13^th 30-plus save performance of the season.

Markus Naslund opened the scoring for the home team on a powerplay goal halfway through the first period. It didn’t take Anaheim long to react, taking advantage of their own powerplay to tie the game less than a minute later. Samuel Pahlsson took two whacks at a loose puck in front of the Rangers goal before Bobby Ryan skated in and forced the puck past Lundvist on a third effort. The Blueshirts took the lead back at the start of the second period on a short handed goal by Fredrik Sjostrom before Anaheim leveled the game once more, this time through Corey Perry. The teams traded punches (often quite literally; there were a pair of fighting majors and two roughing calls) for the first half of the final period before Gomez’ goal at 12:39.

“It was a little bit of an unlucky play,” said Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller of the game winning goal, which came while Pahlsson was serving an interference penalty. “There was a one-on-one in front of the slot, he [Naslund] kind of lost the puck, it went right up Gomez’ stick and he had almost the empty net,” Hiller recalled. “I think we shouldn’t take penalties like that in the third period but they just outplayed us on special teams today.”

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle echoed Hiller’s sentiments. “You’ve got to win the special teams battles,” he said. The visitors still had a good chance to send the game into overtime after Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi was hit with a delay of game penalty. Hiller ran to the bench, giving the Ducks a six on four, but Blair Betts broke up a play at the blue line and scored an empty netter to settle matters. “We tried to make a one on one play at the blue line and that’s not the right time or the right situation to try and make those plays,” Carlyle said. Betts was named the first star of the night for his efforts. Lundqvist and Gomez were the others.

“I think our team deserves the opportunity to relish what we have been able to accomplish in terms of wins, points and certain parts of our game,” said head coach Tom Renney. “Our penalty kills have been excellent. As much as our scoring has been minimal, I think it has been fairly balanced.”

Renney and captain Chris Drury were pleased with the team’s recent run of form. “We are on a pretty good run here,” said Drury. “I like what we are doing. I think we are getting better every week. That is what you have to do to have success down the stretch.”

” We have had five weeks of mediocre hockey,” conceded Renney. “I think what we have done lately suggests that we are coming back into what we want to be and have success.”

Ducks Overcome Rangers

Joe McDonald — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 04:37:59 +0000

NEW YORK – With the Giants winning and the Mets getting Johan Santana, it’s easy to overlook what’s bad in the New York sports world.

The Knicks and Nets have both been horrible with little end in sight.

And the hockey teams haven’t been much better.

Even the New York Rangers, who were coming on, but couldn’t follow though this week with two bad games at the Garden, including last night’s loss 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks.

“You are not going to win games by working hard,” said coach Tom Renney. “You are going to win games by having poise and composure, whether you are winning or losing.”

It was lost poise and composure that cost the Rangers, with the Ducks capitalizing on Blueshirt mistakes and creating odd man rushes, which was too much for Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped 15 shots on the night.

“We are just making mistakes and we can’t do that at this time of year,” said center Scott Gomez. “Every mistake we made they capitalized on. I’m not taking anything away from anybody, guys are going hard, but we have to learn quickly. It doesn’t get any easier for us.

“If you look at the goals they scored, we made the mental mistakes. When mistakes were made they capitalized on them. They are a patient team, until the other team makes a mistake. The guys worked hard today, but it’s not good enough.”

Although outshot 33-19, the Ducks were able to take the Ranger turnovers and turn them into points. In the first, former Ranger Mathieu Schneider put one past Henrik Lundqvist, after the goalie was screened by George Parros.

And in the second, Corey Perry was able to get a soft goal by Lundqvist that went through his left arm, trickling into the net.

“The second goal, I should have had it,” Lundqvist said. “When I look at the games, we let up a lot with a lot of odd man rushes. That’s the toughest part of the play when you pick the corners. Parts of your game you have to play better. Right now, the opponents don’t have to work that hard to get their goals.”

And the Rangers have to fight for each score, as well. Their only tally tonight came on a Ryan Callahan score after the Blueshirts crashed the net on Jean-Sebastien Giguere at 7:42 into the second. But those type of chances were few and far between.

Yet Anaheim kept the pressure on. Later in the second after the score was 2-1, Chris Kunitz was able to bank one in off of a sprawled out Lundqvist.

“We need to be a little more intelligent in front of [Lundqvist],” Renney said. “We need to take advantage of our power play and do a little better on the penalty kill. And have a defenseman come down in to pinch and offense his own play.

“Game, set, match.”

It’s easier said than done, but the Rangers, still in seventh place, need to get it fixed quick. With five days off next week, the rest of the league will be able to catch up on games and the Rangers can do nothing but watch.

And have nothing to cheer about.

Notes: Ryan Callahan scored his first goal since his recall from Hartford…This was the Ducks first game at the Garden since Oct. 28, 2003…The Rangers go to Philadelphia and Washington this weekend before their week sabbatical…The Blueshirts remain winless against the west this year going 0-7-2…Their final game will be on Feb. 17 against the San Jose Sharks at the Garden.