MVN: Most Valuable Network

After a loss to the bottom-dwelling Tampa Bay Lightning (no recap, sorry, I was in the ER with my son most of the day), the Ducks went back to work on Saturday in a 45 minute practice.  It was the Ducks second loss in a row in back to back games. 

"I don't think in some situations we were as sharp as we needed to be," said coach Randy Carlyle.  "Sometimes the old-fashioned "work 'em a little harder" works; it sharpens people up."

The Ducks did a half hour of drills followed by skating drills for fifteen minutes.  The Ducks were clearly tired at the end, but winded or not, they have more than 24 hours to recover before taking on the New Jersey Devils tomorrow night.  Today was the first step in getting prepared and making changes.

"I think today is more of an assessment," reflected Carlyle.  "Recognize where we are at, put some work in, take that workmanlike attitude, accept how we played and try to make some changes in our mindset in preparing to have a good start.  That's first and foremost."

One of the changes that Carlyle will have is Corey Perry.  Perry has served all four games of his suspension for elbowing Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers.   Carlyle was looking forward to getting Perry back and having some continuity in a hockey club that has had to make a lot of adjustments of late with a rash of injuries.

One of those injuries is to Todd Marchant, who was seen with a splint on his finger and is listed as "day to day."  Matt Beleskey was called up from Iowa in case Marchant could not play last night and arrived at 6:45 to find out that, yes, he was going to play.  How long he sticks around could depend on how long Marchant is out of the line-up.  With Perry coming off his suspension, there will have to be some roster shuffling.

Carlyle has had to do some shuffling with his goaltenders.  Jean-Sebastien Giguere has not had his best season to date, nor has he been consistent.  This has left Jonas Hiller with more starts than expected.  Nonetheless, Carlyle still supports Giguere and know that he will pull out of this slump.

"He's a veteran guy.  He's been through a lot of wars for us.  There are things he needs to work on in practice.  He's a guy that relishes the technical part of the game and working with Francois Allaire brings him back into line.  He's got to reach back himself and he knows that.  He's always been able to provide that for us."

While it is easy to place blame on the Ducks losses on the goaltending, the team itself is responsible.

"I think goaltending is a reflection of our hockey club in a lot of ways," said Carlyle.  "We've had some good games, we've had some not so good games, we've had some poor games.  We cannot put the blame squarely in their corner.  They've saved our butts more often than we've saved theirs.  Bottom line is we've got to be better in front of them, too."

One person who has been good for the Ducks is Bobby Ryan and Carlyle is hoping that now Perry is back, Ryan can remain on the second line with Andrew Ebbett and Brendan Morrison. Carlyle wants to "give them some games to try to put that together."  Certainly Ryan has provided offense, regardless of where he's been situated. 

His offense, 11 goals and 25 points in 25 games, certainly seemed good enough for a nod to the Young Stars game later this month.  However, as Ryan explained it, he didn't qualify.

"I don't count as a sophomore because I didn't have enough games, but I don't count as a rookie because I had games."

Ryan was not disappointed though and was looking forward to the time off, part of which he has planned to spend with his dad.

Another issue Ryan addressed was the recent call by Ducks fans for Ryan to be issued a lower number jersey.  Ryan is merely happy to be playing, regardless of the number on his back, so it is something he is not in a rush to get. 
   
"I don't think it will be this year.  We'll see, I guess.  Eventually I'd like to wear the number that I've always worn (#9), but I don't know how they'd feel about it.  We'll see when it comes, but one day at a time."