GAME DAY: at Anaheim

The Ducks earned a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders on home ice Friday night, and Columbus picked up a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings at STAPLES Center yesterday afternoon. Anaheim’s record has not improved as much as it would like since coach Bruce Boudreau took over for Randy Carlyle on Nov. 30, but their top players are getting back into form.

Bobby Ryan was one of the Ducks’ best players in their win over the Islanders, and scored a highlight-reel goal while shorthanded to tie the game at 2-2 in the third period. Ryan Getzlaf’s late third-period goal broke that tie and the Ducks captain’s 19th of the year stood as the eventual game-winning marker. Boudreau inherited a team with a dynamic group of forwards but a blue line that has been besieged by injury this season. Anaheim recently got Lubomir Visnovsky back in the lineup and it should help their power play, as the veteran defenseman was the NHL’s top-scoring blue liner last season.

Though the Ducks have won just two of the last nine games, they are a high-powered opponent that likes to use its size and cycle game to generate offense. Anaheim’s top line with Ryan, Getzlaf and reigning league MVP Corey Perry can win a game on its own and the Blue Jackets will likely try to get former Duck Sammy Pahlsson on the ice whenever possible to shut them down.

After a summer of pondering his future, Teemu Selanne elected to join the Ducks for another season and he has arguably been their best player. He leads the Ducks in scoring and is still one of the best power-play performers in the NHL. In goal, Boudreau is likely to go back to Jonas Hiller, who played well in their most recent victory. Backup Dan Ellis is injured and not expected to be available for today’s game.

G	Nash (12)	Perry, Ryan (15)
A	Prospal (20)	Selanne (25)
PTS	Prospal (28)	Selanne (37)
PIM	Dorsett (88)	Perry (59)
+/-	MacKenzie (+8)	Koivu (+6)
W/L	Sanford (6-7-3)	Hiller (10-17-6)
GAA	Sanford (2.46)	Ellis (2.72)
SVP	Sanford (.917)	Ellis (.911)