The Anaheim Ducks look to end their four-game losing streak in the final game of their seven-game, 14-day road trip Saturday night against the slumping Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. The Ducks have picked up single points in their last two games, but are just 1-4-3 in their last eight games, including 1-2-3 in the first six games of their road trip.
Chris at Anaheim Calling noted the Ducks' penchant of late for slow starts:
The most frustrating part of this dismal stretch for me, as a fan, isn’t just the lack of scoring, but that combined with the slow starts. In each of their four regulation losses over this stretch the Ducks have given up a goal in the first five minutes of the game, twice in the first 15 seconds; the Ducks have not been able to win a game this season when giving up the first goal; and they’ve only taken a lead after trailing once all season.
The funny thing about Saturday's game is that the Ducks can be considered the hotter team. The Red Wings have lost six straight games, including five losses in regulation. Detroit has allowed 22 goals in those six games.
This is the first of four meetings between the Ducks and Red Wings this season. In the 2010-2011 campaign, they split four games, with each team winning twice at home.
Saturday's 4:00 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more Ducks news and analysis, be sure to read Anaheim Calling.