Update (2:16 PM): Two things from the comments on this post at OtW:
First, thanks to mc keeper for pointing out something I hadn't noticed because I opted not to watch the game and didn't think to check: Derek Meech played last night in LA. That means Chris Chelios will dress tonight instead.
Smart move by Babcock there, to put the veteran in against the tougher team rather than the rookie.
Second, thanks to Earl Sleek of The Battle of California for providing some projected lines and pairings:
Bertuzzi-Getzlaf-Perry
Kunitz-Weight-Bochenski
Moen-Carter-R.Niedermayer
May-Marchant-SutherbyS.Niedermayer-Beauchemin
Pronger-O’Donnell
Schneider-Huskins
He also notes that this will be Giguere's first game against the Wings since the playoffs. I'd forgotten that.
I should also mention that this will be Mathieu Schneider's first game against his old team since he left this past summer. He was out with a broken left ankle for both of the first two meetings between the Wings and Ducks this season. - Matt
Tonight is the third of four games between the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks. The season series is tied 1-1, with the Wings winning 3-2 in a shootout on October 3rd, and the Ducks winning 6-3 on October 15th. The final game will be played on February 10th in Detroit.
The 27-18-6 Ducks are 8-1-1 in 2008, with their only losses coming to Phoenix and Dallas. The loss to the Stars on Sunday snapped a six-game winning streak in which the Ducks won four at home against Nashville, Toronto, San Jose and Dallas. They then won a game in Nashville and Minnesota before heading to Texas, where they fell to second in the Pacific Division as a result of the Stars' win.
Ryan Getzlaf leads the Ducks in points with 57, 38 of which are assists. Corey Perry is the leading goalscorer, with 26. Four other Ducks have 10 or more goals: Getzlaf (19), Chris Pronger (10), Chris Kunitz (15), and Todd Bertuzzi (11).
Scott Niedermayer has two goals and nine assists since returning from semi-retirement mid-way through the season. The Ducks are 12-3-2 in the 17 games since his return on December 16th. I suppose that is the rationale behind the NHL's decision to name him an All Star as an injury replacement for Sergei Zubov instead of a someone with more candidates under his belt.
The Ducks will be without defensive specialist Sammy Pahlsson (abdomen) and George Parros (knee), who now looks less like a 70s throwback character and more like a musketeer in his team photo.
J-S Giguere should get the start for the Ducks.
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