Open Gameday Thread Ducks @ Blues

ARTHUR:
If you're checking us out way before the game, please scroll down to check out the four stories we've published since the end of the Ducks' last contest: Daniel and I took a look at three scoring lines, Jen tried to talk you all down off the ledge, Robby took a look at Anaheim's fighting record and we linked you all to a since-confirmed story in Sweden quoting Andreas Lilja as ready to join the Ducks under contract this week. He of Red Wings Game 5 turnover to McDonald turned Selanne backhand over Hasek fame.

The Ducks need all the help they can get on defense, but then again, no one was really under the impression Anaheim would be a defensive team this year. If they can reach the competence required to get the flow of shots to move away from Hiller (to something more like the 25-30 range instead of 43+) and the forwards can find more than 1 goal every 120 minutes, we might see at least interesting, if not winning, hockey.

So I'm looking for goals today. Shots and goals. The schedule's been tough, the games have been tough and the team is undoubtedly tired with no win-based adrenaline to motivate them. They won't course correct the season in one night, and we're certainly not at a place where we can act surprised that the defense is underperforming without either of the Top 4 defenders Anaheim signed in the offseason.

So forget the lofty goal of competence. I just want to see some life. Show me some shots. Show me some goals. Those are things I feel comfortable asking from 22.5 million dollars worth of Top 6 forwards whilst the six healthy defensemen that are failing us are making less than half of that. Right now, too many of our Top 6 forwards are tied with Joffrey Lupul in points.

Show me some shots. Show me some goals. That's all.

FOWL!