(Sports Network) - Hoping that their top line is about to catch fire, the Anaheim Ducks shoot for a second straight victory tonight over the Atlanta Thrashers at Honda Center.
The Ducks dropped their first three games of the season -- all on the road -- with superstars Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf combining for zero points and a minus-12 rating.
However, the trio broke out in Wednesday's 4-3 victory over Vancouver with a combined seven points in Anaheim's home opener.
Ryan Getzlaf led the way with a goal and three assists, while Perry and Ryan scored just over a minute apart in the third period. Teemu Selanne added a goal and Jonas Hiller stopped 36 shots in the victory.
"It wasn't pretty. I don't think we're going to frame that one and say that is the way we want to play every night. But at least it's a starting point for us," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "We won't criticize a win."
Anaheim, which plays the second of three straight at home, could get a boost at the blue line tonight if Toni Lydman is able to play. The veteran defenseman was cleared to return to action on Thursday after missing all of training camp and the first four games of the season due to double vision.
The Ducks could use the help as Andy Sutton is out six-to-eight weeks due to a broken right thumb, while fellow blueliner Andreas Lilja has yet to receive a work visa to play.
Atlanta also has its issues at the back end as Ron Hainsey won't play tonight after leaving the team yesterday to be with his wife after she went into labor. Zach Bogosian is also questionable due to a minor shoulder surgery.
The Thrashers will get center Jim Slater back into the lineup after he missed the club's first three games with a right wrist injury.
Atlanta has lost two straight since its season-opening home win over Washington last Friday, losing Tuesday's contest in Los Angeles, 3-1.
The Thrashers carried a one-goal lead into the third period after Chris Thorburn's goal in the second stanza, but the Kings struck for a pair of goals in a 2:17 span early in the final frame.
"What concerns me at times [is that] they ran some cycles against us where they opened up the points and they end up with more shots," Atlanta coach Craig Ramsay said. "But we're trying to get our team to understand that they all have to try to score goals, they have to get up ice and play an up-tempo kind of game. We're going to give up some shots until we really sort it all out, and not look for a perfect play, but run some cycles ourselves against them."
Chris Mason made 32 saves for the Thrashers, who play the third of four straight on the road tonight. Three of those games are on the west coast as the club visits San Jose on Saturday.
Mason is 2-7-1 with a 2.98 goals-against average in his career versus the Ducks, while Hiller is 0-1-0 with a 2.66 GAA in two games -- one start -- against the Thrashers.
Atlanta won the lone meeting between the teams last year, 2-1 at home, and has taken four of the last matchups in the series overall. The Thrashers posted an 8-4 win on Feb. 15, 2009 when the clubs last met in Anaheim.