GDT: Ducks VS Predators, 01/04/2015

Top-Two Teams in West Battle it Out in Anaheim


PREDATORS (25-9-3) at DUCKS (25-9-6)


TV: PRIME, FS-TN


The Latest: The NHL-leading Anaheim Ducks (25-9-6, 56 pts.) reach the halfway point of the season with their 41st game tonight against the Nashville Predators at Honda Center (5 p.m. PST, Prime Ticket/AM 830). The Ducks recently concluded the 2014 calendar year leading the NHL in points (107) and points percentage (.677) from Jan. 1-Dec. 31. The team has gone 2-1-0 in the first three games of a season-high eight-game homestand, have points in four of the last five games (3-1-1), are 11-3-1 in their last 15 and 14-5-1 in their last 20. In addition, the Ducks have won six of their last seven games at Honda Center (6-1-0). The club is in the midst of 36-of-37 days within Southern California (beginning Dec. 20 through Jan. 25). The homestand also features visits from New York Rangers (Jan. 7), Winnipeg (Jan. 11), Toronto (Jan. 14) and New Jersey (Jan. 16). This marks Anaheim's longest stretch of consecutive home games since Mar. 2-23, 2007, when the club went 6-1-1 in a similar eight-game homestand.


Ducks-Predators: Tonight opens a three-game season series with Anaheim and Nashville, the first of two to be played at Honda Center. The Ducks and Predators currently co-lead the Western Conference in regulation/overtime wins (21) and rank first and tied for third in the overall NHL standings, respectively. The Ducks have gone 5-1-0 vs. the Predators since the start of the 2012-13 season and own a 32-19-7 record overall since 1998-99. At Honda Center, Anaheim has posted a 20-6-3 record vs. Nashville. Ryan Getzlaf paces Anaheim skaters in career scoring against the Predators, collecting 35 points (10g/25a) in 30 games. These two teams will next meet on Feb. 5 at Bridgestone Arena before concluding the season series back at Honda Center on March 15.


Ducks team scope: Left wing Patrick Maroon left practice early Saturday after getting hit in the face, but Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said he did not think Maroon's "upper body" issue was serious. Anaheim is 19-0-6 in one-goal games and 17-5-5 against the Western Conference. The Ducks are 9-2-0 against the Central Division and 13-4-3 at home. Left wing Matt Beleskey ended a five-game goal drought Friday by scoring the game-winner in a 4-3 home victory against the St. Louis Blues. Anaheim has won twice in regulation in its past eight games. Overall, the Ducks are 4-3-1, winning twice in overtime in their past five games. Anaheim scored its first power-play goal in eight games in the victory against St. Louis, ending an 0-for-19 drought. The Ducks are 1-for-24 with the extra man in their past eight games.


Predators team scope: Right wing James Neal was scratched Saturday with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Forward Colin Wilson, who was the NHL's Second Star of the Week, had one goal and one assist Saturday and was plus-3 in a 7-6 overtime win against the LA Kings. Wilson has four multiple-point games in his past six for a total of nine points (five goals, four assists). Defenseman Roman Josi has a four-game points streak (two goals, four assists), which included the game-winning goal Saturday. Left wing Taylor Beck (illness) and center Matt Cullen (upper-body injury) did not travel on the two-game road trip. The Predators placed Beck on injured reserve Saturday and recalled forwards Viktor Stalberg and Miikka Salomaki from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. Stalberg had an assist against the Kings; Salomaki was a healthy scratch. Nashville is 11-7-2 on the road, 18-5-3 against the Western Conference and 8-2-1 against the Pacific Division. Nashville has lost once in regulation in its past eight games (6-1-1). Forward Mark Arcobello scored a goal Saturday in his first game for Nashville after being acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for forward Derek Roy. Rinne, who leads the NHL in wins with 25, has started 17 of the past 18 games. He has not lost in regulation since Dec. 13.

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