Open Gameday Recap: Ducks @ Kings (Pre-season)

JEN:

I'll be honest, I had VERY low hopes for this game. Having been at the first two preseason games, I had seen with my eyes just how much a Duckling filled lineup struggled - no matter the veterans inserted to help out. After last night's win at Vancouver, even Randy Carlyle admitted that overloading the roster with the kids gave them slim-to-no chance to succeed (hence his playing all the vets last night). Can you blame me for expecting a bloodbath tonight against a Kings team that was playing almost their entire regular season roster? Kind of nice to be wrong...

The Good

-- Our love affair with Andrew Gordon continues. Commissioner Gordon played in his third straight game, and scored his team leading third goal versus the Kings. In most of the games, the speedy Gordon has been paired with blazing fast Andrew Cogliano on the third line. Could we possibly have the makings of a third scoring line we so desperately need?

-- Also on the third line tonight was Devante Smith-Pelly. I believe that by sending his peers (Emerson Etem and Joseph Cramarossa) back to their junior teams, DSP was given a confidence boost by the coaches. The only downside is that it takes him a bit to get into the rhythm of each game; however, once he gets going, he's stellar. Tonight he recorded a team leading five shots on goal. These next two pre-season games will be critical to DSP's near future. It's the difference between Anaheim and back to juniors.

-- Well hello, Jeff Delauriers! Feels good to have a number three goalie that could challenge your number two. He stopped 32 of 33 shots on a stacked Kings team with little-to-no help from his D. Thank you Jeebus, we have an insurance policy. Some have floated the thought of trading Dan Ellis. I would say that's an idea that could only be addressed if 1) Jonas Hiller goes (at least) until the All Star break without having any episodes, and 2) Deslauriers continues to have a run like this in Syracuse.

-- Hey, Kyle Palmieri and Dan Sexton, welcome back to existence with your point a piece. I almost forgot you were still hanging around.

-- With Toni Lydman out, Luca Sbisa is taking over the workhorse minutes with a team leading 23:21 TOI. He had a pretty solid game except for one turnover that turned into the Kings only goal.

The Bad

-- Where'd you go, Nick Bonino? Bonino had the second lowest TOI in 11:21 (only followed by enforcer Brian McGrattan with 7:01). I have a feeling he's on the next bus to Syracuse. There just isn't anything that makes me think he's going to be sticking around.

-- I'm still mad about Emerson Etem being sent back to Medicine Hat.

-- Jason Blake with TWO boarding penalties. I didn't believe it myself when I heard the calls. How is a guy that can barely see over the boards dangerous?

-- Did you know that Fernando Bryan Rodney played tonight? Me neither. Zeros across the board in his 16:36 TOI.

The Ugly

-- My fantasy draft teams. I got Olli Jokinen and Sheldon Souray, but not by choice.

-- The Kings announcers on the live stream for doing zero research on how to say Ducks players names. Luca SUH-BEE-SUH. DEY-VANT Smith-Pelly. Kyle PAHL-MARI. Yeesh.