Ducks' Getzlaf ready for rare visit by Crosby, Penguins

ANAHEIM -- Ryan Getzlaf smiled because he knew the questions were coming about playing against Sidney Crosby, his teammate with Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will make a rare appearance at Honda Center on Friday to face Getzlaf's Anaheim Ducks. Crosby has come here three times previously, but not since 2010.

So what about facing that Crosby kid?

"How did I know that question was coming?" Getzlaf said. "Any time we're playing an opponent from the East we want to send a message that we can compete in both [conferences]. I think that Sid and the Penguins bring a big test in our building and we're excited about it, for sure."

Getzlaf has one point in three games since the Olympic break and missed a glorious scoring chance late in a loss Wednesday. Crosby is coming off one of his worst career games, a minus-5 against the San Jose Sharks, which has Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau on high alert.

"The worst thing that ever happened was him being minus-5 [Thursday]," Boudreau said. "He doesn't very rarely have a sub-par game, so he's somebody that's going to be very dangerous [Friday]."

With the departure from Anaheim of Dustin Penner and the injury to Mathieu Perreault, Jakob Silfverberg is seeing more ice time. His 15:33 of ice time Wednesday was his most since Jan. 15. Silfverberg, an Olympic silver medalist with Sweden, had been scratched four times in a nine-game span.

Silfverberg said he wasn't frustrated, but also looked forward to the increased ice time.

"It's always fun to play a lot," Silfverberg said. "We made a couple of moves now at the [NHL] Trade Deadline, which opened up spaces. You've got to show the coaches you want to play more. I hope I still get to play some more."

Rickard Rakell was recalled for depth at center. Rakell made the Ducks' opening-night roster last season as a 19-year-old and this season was tied for the lead with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League in points and plus/minus at the time of his recall Thursday.

Rakell skated on a line with Matt Beleskey and Teemu Selanne at the morning skate Friday.

"I'm very excited to play," Rakell said. "Every you chance you get, you want to play as good as possible and show that you can play at this level. That's my focus for [Friday]."

Pittsburgh did not skate after it flew in from San Jose after the game Thursday.

Here are the expected lineups for both teams:

PENGUINS

Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Brian Gibbons

Jussi Jokinen - Evgeni Malkin - James Neal

Taylor Pyatt - Brandon Sutter - Lee Stempniak

Tanner Glass - Marcel Goc - Craig Adams

Olli Maatta - Brooks Orpik

Rob Scuderi - Matt Niskanen

Deryk Engelland - Simon Despres

Marc-Andre Fleury

Jeff Zatkoff

Scratched: Robert Bortuzzo, Joe Vitale

Injured: Paul Martin (hand), Kris Letang (stroke), Beau Bennett (broken wrist/hand), Chris Conner (hand), Pascal Dupuis (knee), Tomas Vokoun (blood clot)

Notes: Bortuzzo left in the first period Thursday against the Sharks and is to be re-evaluated.

DUCKS

Kyle Palmieri - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry

Daniel Winnik - Saku Koivu - Andrew Cogliano

Patrick Maroon - Nick Bonino - Jakob Silfverberg

Matt Beleskey - Rickard Rakell - Teemu Selanne

Hampus Lindholm - Francois Beauchemin

Cam Fowler - Ben Lovejoy

Bryan Allen - Luca Sbisa

Jonas Hiller

Frederik Andersen

Scratched: Mark Fistric, Tim Jackman

Injured: Mathieu Perreault (arm), Stephane Robidas (leg), Sheldon Souray (wrist)

Notes: Sbisa took line rushes with Allen, so it appears that Fistric will sit out. … Getzlaf and Perry took the morning skate off but are expected to play.