(SportsNetwork.com) – The Anaheim Ducks will put their quick start to the test
on Tuesday night as they kick off what is expected to be a tough four-game
road trip with a clash against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Ducks are coming off just their second loss of the season and first since
their initial game of the schedule back on Oct. 9. They won seven in a row
after that defeat, but were bested 4-1 on Sunday night by the San Jose Sharks.
Anaheim was defeated in its first game against a divisional opponent and after
a five-game homestand will now play four straight on the road against playoff
teams from a season ago.
The Ducks fell behind by two goals in the first period on Sunday and never
recovered, with Frederik Andersen giving up four tallies on 37 shots faced and
Matt Beleskey scoring in the third frame.
“In the first and second periods, they played like the Sharks can play. They
were extremely good, and we weren’t ready,” Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau
said.
It was a testy game between division rivals, with the clubs combining for 165
penalty minutes. Anaheim’s Corey Perry, Ben Lovejoy and Ryan Getzlaf all
received fighting majors at one point and Perry picked up a 10-minute game
misconduct in the third period.
“Tensions ran high for both teams. We dealt with them. We stuck together as a
group. That’s the main thing,” said Getzlaf.
The camaraderie did come at a cost as Lovejoy suffered a fractured right
finger during a fight with Joe Pavelski and is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks
of action.
The Blackhawks hope to give the Ducks a rude welcome to Chicago tonight after
snapping a two-game skid with Sunday’s 2-1 win over Ottawa. Scott Darling made
his NHL debut in net for Chicago and posted 32 saves in the win.
A native of the Chicago suburbs, Darling was recalled earlier last week after
starting goaltender Corey Crawford went down with an upper-body injury.
“The guys played great, helped me out a lot,” Darling said.
Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook both scored for the Blackhawks, while
Patrick Kane registered his 500th point with an assist on Toews’ goal.
Crawford has missed the last four games and Antti Raanta is likely to start
again tonight. He has faced the Ducks only once before, taking a shootout loss
on Dec. 6 in Anaheim after giving up two goals on 26 shots through overtime.
Andersen has never faced the Blackhawks.
The ‘Hawks had lost five in a row to the Ducks before winning the final two
meetings last season. They have won only once in their past four at home
versus Anaheim.
