The reeling Anaheim Ducks look to get back on track Sunday night hosting the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center. The Ducks have lost three straight contests, nine of their last 10, and 12 of their last 14 games after starting the season 4-1. Anaheim got blown out 5-0 in Detroit on November 5 in the final game of a grueling seven-game road trip for the Ducks.
The 2-8-4 stretch from the Ducks have dropped them to last place in the Pacific Division, with the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets owning a worse record in the Western Conference. Anaheim Calling thinks the Ducks need to get physical to beat Detroit:
The Wings are going to get their fair share of offensive opportunities, but they're especially dangerous when they feel they have room to maneuver. In the 2008-2009 series, the Ducks were able to frustrate the Wings with their physical play, and they'll have to do the same thing tonight. Sure, hitting any team (let alone Detroit) carries the attendant risks of penalties. But unless Pavel Datsyuk thinks Luca Sbisa is about to crush him with an open-ice hit, Datsyuk will dangle and find a way to create offense.
The Ducks also simply need to score, as they are 29th out of 30 teams in scoring with just 39 goals in 19 games, including 18 goals in their last 10 contests. As pointed out by David Harper of NHL.com, several Ducks have had trouble scoring against the Red Wings: "[Corey] Perry is scoreless in six meetings, while [Ryan] Getzlaf's drought is eight games. The Ducks' third big gun, Teemu Selanne, has one goal in his last eight games against the Wings."
This is the final game of a four-game road trip for Detroit, who beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday's 5 p.m. PST game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more Ducks hockey news and notes, be sure to read Anaheim Calling.