Now we're talking!

Ironically, the final score was the same as last Friday; 5-3. But this time, the team getting 2 points was the same team who SHOULD have won last week.

I've really had such an up and down emotional season with this Ducks team, as I'm sure we all have. I would never ask for a season that started the way the majority of these first 67 games have gone...but in the last ten, the Ducks are 8-2-0. WOW. Is this the time to get hot? OH, you bet your ass it is.

As nervous as I was for this game, I was oddly confident while watching (okay, until the final minutes of the game). The Ducks gave up that first goal with some lazy play, but even after that, I still didn't feel a sense of defeat. They were playing well from the very beginning of the game and that was obvious when Sheldon Brookbank* got his first NHL career goal on a beautiful little set of passes between he and Ryan Getzlaf.

*he'll be requiring a new nickname now. He's no longer going to be referred to as Brokeback...that's what getting your first NHL career goal in a very tight Western Conference race to the playoffs will do for you.

It was the D-mans night against Edmonton. Besides Brookbank's goal, both Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger netted some beauties. Scotty...once again in the right place at the right time. Pronger, payback for that HUGE slapshot he had on Friday that was turned away by Dwayne Roloson.

You all know I love Bobby Effin Ryan, but come on Effin...we need you to keep the gloves on. Yea, yea...I'm not a big fan of the fighting, but of ALL the people I don't want to see getting roughed up and spending 5 minutes in the penalty box...Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and BOBBY EFFIN RYAN! Effin is drawing 4 minute high sticking penalties left and right these days, and the PP appreciates it (fans do too. Opponents? Not so much). So stay on the ice, get some more hockey war wounds on your pretty little face and stop fighting! Thanks (Besides, you totally lost that one).

It seems like one advantage to having brothers on the same team is that when they're hot, they're hot together. I mean, Scott Niedermayer is ALWAYS the man, but when Rob Niedermayer decides to join in on the fun I can't help but be overwhelmingly appreciative of him. Robbie's two goals last night were exactly what the Ducks needed. Just as Robbie got his first goal of the game, there was talk of the Ducks just trying to get out of the 2nd period still up 3-1. I thought to myself at the time...nah, I want another goal first. Then beautiful little pass from Scotty to his brother and BAM...the Ducks get what would eventually be the game winner. And of course, who doesn't love to see Robbie get those empty netters? No complaints here.

The Ducks were miserably outshot 14-2 in the third period. I can understand that. With a 3 goal lead, I'd rather them focus on playing some tight puck controlling offensive/defense (if that makes sense) than taking unnecessary shots on goal...but I also hope that means they're actually going to PLAY DEFENSE. It wasn't until the final 4 minutes of the game that I actually started sweating (we were playing ping pong too...that might have had something to do with it). The Ducks have this tendency to get too comfortable and they are punished for that laziness.

Thank the hockey gods for stick measurements!

I have to laugh about the stick measurement request last night against Teemu Selanne. I was at that game against San Jose in 2007 when the attempt actually worked. I just think the whole tactic is lame. Yea, I don't think anyone should be using illegal sticks, but to use the measurement as a means to win? Well...it's cheap. Of course, now that I've said it, the Ducks are going to use that same ploy sometime soon and I'll think it's lame then too. But none the less, to see Selanne skate back to the bench with that huge smile on his face knowing that the Oilers were about to go a man short on their attempt to try and comeback to win the game...priceless wasn't it? SUCKAS!!!

Speaking of thanking hockey gods...Jonas Hiller. He's just what the Ducks have ordered right now. He's got that smoking glove hand to prove it (I just love when he does that). Here's hoping that Randy Carlyle doesn't go all sentimental and try to change things up. I think it's possible we might be seeing JS Giguere in a game against San Jose on this upcoming home-and-home. I'll be honest, I hope that Hiller plays the first of the two. If he plays the way we all hope and EXPECT him to play...we might just see him take the second game as well. It's possible.

I think Todd Marchant is really playing his heart out right now. I appreciate that. Seeing him go down like that during a vital PK and then find the strength to CLEAR THE PUCK! Awesome! He's skating harder and faster than we've see from him in previous years, and it's paying off.

The Ducks should have won last Friday, but should have doesn't get you two points. Last night they played like team we all have been expecting to see this entire season. I don't know that this team would be clicking like this if the trades had not happened. This chemistry is slowly building from a smoldering ember to what will hopefully be a full raging fire over the next few...well, I won't push it past the final 5 games of the season. We'll see where these games take the Ducks...but hopefully this is just the start of a full grown Southern California forest fire.

Here we come Columbus...get the hell out of our way!

GO DUCKS!!!