(Sports Network) - After posting consecutive shutout wins, the stingy Anaheim
Ducks will try for a third straight victory when they host the St. Louis Blues
on Sunday.
The Pacific Division-leading Ducks are 17-3-3 this season and the club has
managed to dominate with both offense and defense so far in 2013. Anaheim is
ranked third in the NHL with 3.35 goals scored per game and is ninth in the
league in goals against with an average of 2.48 scores surrendered each night.
Anaheim showed off its defense over the last two games, as Jonas Hiller needed
to stop only 18 shots in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Phoenix and rookie netminder
Viktor Fasth recorded 29 saves to notch his second career shutout in Friday's
4-0 victory against Calgary. The recent wins came at the start of a three-game
homestand, giving the Ducks 10 straight wins in Anaheim since losing their
home opener 5-0 to Vancouver on Jan. 25.
Fasth improved his season and career record to 10-1-1 in Friday's win over the
Flames. Hiller also has a solid 7-2-2 mark and is expected to be the starter
on Sunday.
Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan each registered a goal and an assist against the
Flames while Daniel Winnik and Sheldon Souray scored a goal apiece for the
Ducks. Ryan has recorded a point in six straight games and has two goals and
five helpers during the run.
"Once we scored the second goal, we started to get our legs and started to do
the right things," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I think they were
frustrated. A win is a win."
Ducks center Kyle Palmieri missed his third straight game with an upper-body
injury and is questionable for Sunday.
The Blues also are coming off consecutive wins and pulled off a comeback
victory Saturday in San Jose. St. Louis trailed 3-1 heading into the third
period, but eventually claimed the 4-3 decision in overtime.
Patrik Berglund scored the game-winner at 1:12 of the extra session. He fought
off San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle at the left side of the cage and reached
over his opponent to redirect a Barret Jackman shot home to end the contest.
Vladimir Sobotka posted his first career hat trick to account for the
remainder of the goals for the Blues, who improved to 2-2-0 on their current
five-game road trip which concludes on Sunday. Overall, St. Louis is 8-4-1 as
the visiting team this season.
Two of Sobotka's goals came just 1:20 apart in the third period and those
scores tied the game at 3-3. He tallied at the 4:18 mark of the third and
added his seventh goal of the season at 5:38.
Jake Allen made 22 saves for the win and is now 5-1-0 on the season. With the
Blues goaltending duo of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott struggling, Allen
was recalled from the minors after Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Kings and has
started the last two games. However, Allen is expected to make way for Halak
to start Sunday's tilt in Orange County.
The Ducks posted a 6-5 shootout win in St. Louis on Feb. 9 in the first
meeting between the teams this season. Anaheim has won two straight and four
of six in this series overall and the Blues have dropped five in a row and
nine of 10 at the Honda Center.
The Sports Network