In praise of Bobby Ryan

In praise of Bobby Ryan
---Ryan Whitney, former Ducks defenseman

Monday, February 8, 2010

Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings

After last Thursday's Kings/Ducks defeat, yours truly was looking for retribution in tonight's contest between the same two teams. This time, we'd be on Ducks home ice. And this time, our hometown heroes wouldn't be playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Maybe this time, we'd actually win for the first time in this season's Freeway Faceoff series. To add a little more pressure to the situation, the Kings roll into Anaheim riding a 9-game franchise-high winning streak. Our Ducks would hope to snap that streak, and add to their own 9-game home winning streak.

Yours truly was able to attend this game thanks to a generous Duck buddy with an extra ticket, but Baby Rebel was sans batteries. So no pictures tonight.

Even though tonight's contest took place on Duck ice, there were plenty of Kings fans in attendance. Such is always the case. And since the Kings scored first, those fans were even more obnoxious. Such is always the case. But our boys were playing hard. They were aggressive and gritty, putting lots of shots on goal. Just a matter of time.

Before the end of the first, our boys would tie things up with a power play goal from Teemu Selanne on a Kings 3-on-5. Bad penalties for the Kings to take (delay of game with a puck tossed over the glass, followed shortly by too many men on the ice), and Ducks capitalize after shooting repeatedly on Jonathan Quick.

Gotta say, Quick is one helluva goalie, even if he is a Kings goalie. Ducks have multiple chances, and yours truly is left wondering what they're going to have to do to get any more goals here.

We're tied 1-1 starting the second period.

Before the first half is over, our boys pull ahead with two more goals. The first comes off an awesome blind pass from Corey Perry to Ryan Getzlaf who quickly converts. It's a Pears-Getzy beauty, plain and simple.

What would have been the second goal of the period gets waived off. Perry is in the crease to knock a James Wisniewski rebound past Quick. The reason it's waived? "Player in the crease." And somehow, there is no penalty, just a no-goal. The crowd roars its disapproval.

To literally add injury to insult, Getzy twists awkwardly onto his ankle during that play. He disappears to the bench and doesn't return for the night.

Less than a minute later, Ducks get a goal that isn't waived off. It's Saku Koivu, chipping in a rebound from Teemu. He's not in the paint and it's good!

Ducks up 3-1, and there's a bit of a reprieve before the obnoxious King fan behavior starts up again. But just a bit. Kopitar nails one at the end of a Ryan Whitney penalty.

Ducks answer that goal less than 30 seconds later with a beauty of a sniper shot past the Kings defender and Quick's glove. Ducks take their two-goal lead into the second intermission. Yours truly must admit, this was one of the best second periods I've seen our hometown heroes play in a loooong time.

The Kings are expected to come on strong in the third, and that they do. Jonas Hiller is phenomenal, stopping bid after bid. I can feel the tension in the air, how long can he hold them off?

All. Period. Long. Hiller holds strong despite another Whitney penalty, and sees his team snap the Kings' streak while upholding the Ducks' home winning streak.


My Zimbio
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