Ducks Gameday—Ex-Captain comes home
Nashville Predators (17-6-3, 3rd in west) at Anaheim Ducks (20-3-6, 1st in west)
This also could be called the Battle of November, as the Ducks and Preds earned more standings points in the month of November than any other team in the league. They were also the two best teams in terms of goal-differential per game for that month.
Ducks November: 10-2-3, 23 points, 3.67 GF/gm, 2.47 GA/gmBut aside from the prestige and the numbers, Nashville brings with it one commodity well-known to Anaheim fans, former captain Paul Kariya.
Preds November: 10-2-1, 21 points, 3.69 GF/gm, 2.38 GA/gm
Now I’m not going to bad-mouth Kariya for the way he left us in 2003, but I do think it is interesting how similar Kariya-and-Selanne from the old days resembles McDonald-and-Selanne from today. Really, McDonald is a Kariya-clone, both playing a small-man’s game, both skating like hellfire, both wearing a visor, and even the numbers 9 and 19 at times are tough to distinguish.
Only Teemu Knows the Difference
You know, I’ve personally never booed PK, even after he left. Frankly, he put up with so much ridicule being the brave face of the Mighty Ducks during the height of their hilarity that I couldn’t bring myself to boo the guy. No matter how PK up and left Anaheim, you gotta respect the legitimacy and attitude he brought while he was here. That’s why he is #2 on my Memorial Day Top 10 Mighty Ducks list.
Hey, but that’s just my opinion; boo away, Anaheim.
As a last side note: it is entirely possible that the Ducks will be facing their former call-up Michael Leighton in this game, as Vokoun is injured and Mason has played the last five for the Preds. If so, let’s hope Leighton remembers who is paying half his goddamn salary.
Prediction: Ducks 5, Predators 2. "Kariya-clone" McDonald with a pair, along with Selanne, Pahlsson, and Perry.
8 comments:
I agree with you on the "to boo or not to boo" question. I was at the first game he played in Anaheim as a member of the Avalanche, and I couldn't bring myself to boo him, either. Booing expresses disapproval or dislike, and though I was disappointed by PK's departure, I can't dislike a player who did so much for his team.
The blog is great--write early and often. Or just often.
Oh, and Teemu's expression in that photo is priceless.
The game goes to a shootout.
Kariya scores, we frown. etc.
And uh, in regulation Penner, Kunitz, and Prongs score.
Great showing against the number 2 team in western conf. I was pretty worried about all the penalties they took in the first, but the kill did the job.
Kunitz had a huge night, and I loved the passes Andy Mac made.
They ante'd up and pulled it off. The early penalties for sure worried me, and yes, I -- being an emotionally irate female fan coupled with being a witness to his inherent diva-ness the day before the game -- boo'ed my little Asian heart out as I've done for every Paul Kariya game since his departure. He is, perhaps, the only player I ever do boo. Secretly, I watch the Kings play Paul to get glimpses of his brilliant playmaking skills.
I grew up watching PK, and I adored his ability. But I can't say that I wasn't glad he couldn't get a shot on goal in last night's game. He never does seem to perform well in his former arena, but he still plays like crazy against the Kings...
Defense was good on their game last night; Jiggy barely had to do anything by the third period...
Booed some last night, mostly cause Finny said I had to.
Finny & I were talking last night about the similarities of PK and Andy McDonald...it's kind of scary.
Finny & I were talking last night about the similarities of PK and Andy McDonald...it's kind of scary.
It's a lot more than just a nickname.
They had the same exact point totals last year,(Andy 34-51-85, Kariya 31-54-85) and they're the same height/weight
It only looks creepier when Paul tries to grow facial hair.
boo'ed my little Asian heart out as I've done for every Paul Kariya game since his departure.
For shame.
Still, I'm not blameless. While I have never brought myself to boo Kariya, that is not to say that I didn't give Selanne a good heckle while he was on the Avs, but that is a story for another post.
It only looks creepier when Paul tries to grow facial hair.
God, that's actually happened?! Disturbing thought. I don't know many Asian (or half-Asian) men that can pull of facial hair at all, and just picturing Paul with some is... alarming.
that is not to say that I didn't give Selanne a good heckle while he was on the Avs
wow. I can't ever boo Selanne.
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