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Season Series Record, Ducks vs. Opponent: 1-0-0
KNOW THY ENEMY
Record (Points):17-19-7 (41)
Place in Northwest Division:3rd
Place in Western Conference:12th
Who's Hot? Jordan Eberle. He broke out of a six-game scoring slump with a three-point night against the Avs. He also was honored as the game's first star.
Who's Not? The rest of the team. The Oilers moved in to 8th place in the West after compiling a 5 game win streak earlier in the month. However, this recent slump as eliminated them from the playoff picture.
Numbers for Nerds: The Oilers have only scored 15 goals against the Ducks in nine straight contests at Rexall Place. And thanks to Toronto clinching Saturday night, they now hold the longest playoff-free streak in the NHL.
Enemy Dossier:The Copper and Blue
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DUCKS PREVIEW
I believe that the Ducks have lost focus because there is nothing to play for - their playoff berth is locked up. But there is much at stake today. If they win, and the Sharks and Kings lose in regulation, they'll lock up the Pacific Division title. While this might seem like small potatoes, it would be our first Pacific Division title since our Stanley Cup season (and a major feat for a team that finished outside the playoff picture last season).
Edmonton, in particular, should be a good "rebound" team. The Ducks' last win was against the Oilers on April 8th. We are 12-2-0 in our last 14 contests of Edmonton, and have not had such a large losing streak since the November Collapse last season. Yet, this has all the markings of a classic "trap" game -if Edmonton gets a point and Columbus beats the Sharks tomorrow, the Oilers playoff hopes stay alive.
How can the Ducks prevent this? Show up. Play 60 minutes. FOWL.
PREGAME TWITTER UPDATES
Jonas Hiller off the ice first tonight so he'll get the nod against Edmonton.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins addresses media at Rexall Place. RNH to have surgery to repair torn labrum in left shoulder. twitter.com/icemancometh/s…
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
Appears Sheldon Souray will likely rest tonight and play tomorrow. Boudreau said he's got lower-body injury.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
Nick Bonino will be back in the Ducks lineup after missing 21 games due to a lower-body injury.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
New second line for tonight appears to be Palmieri, Bonino and Selanne. No. 8 is back in after resting in CGY.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
More Bonino: "I think one of the reasons the team misses me is so they can have someone to rip on in the locker room."
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) April 21, 2013
A win tonight at EDM, a Kings REGULATION loss vs. DAL and a Sharks loss OF ANY KIND vs. CBJ would clinch Pacific Division for #NHLDucks.
— Dan Wood (@Duckscolorman) April 21, 2013
And your WTF moment of the day:
Announced: @matt_beleskey and Andrew Cogliano will represent #NHLDucks in @easportsnhl #NHL14CoverVote. Vote Monday: bit.ly/H0uVFT
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 20, 2013