Ducks Gameday—An x-ray of Pronger's knee
Anaheim Ducks (26-17-6, 2nd in west!) at Minnesota Wild (26-17-3, t-5th in west)
Last year when Chris Pronger broke his foot, I produced an exclusive x-ray photo of the injury. Cut to last night's game in the first period at Nashville, when a Shea Weber point shot hit the outside of Pronger's knee; he left the game, apparently suffering a contusion and is day-to-day.
So, without further ado, to the right is the x-ray I received of the current injury. You can see the extent of the injury by the excessive number of lightning bolts.
On that note, it's probably appropriate that the Ducks go to Minnesota tonight, a regular source for injuries as I noted in last spring's series preview. Between the regular season and playoffs, Ducks-Wild games in the last season-and-a-half have produced the following injuries:
- Marian Gaborik (groin, 35 games)
- Todd Fedoruk (broken face, never the same again)
- Chris Pronger (broken foot, 10 games)
- Francois Beauchemin (jaw fracture, 1 game)
- Kim Johnsson (suckerpunch to the face, 1 game)
- Todd Bertuzzi (concussion, 14 games)
Prediction: The Wild have already beaten the Ducks twice in Anaheim this year, the last win coming on the game before Niedermayer's return. If there's any solace, it's that the Wild scored the first seven goals in the season series, but the Ducks have scored the last two (to be fair, that game was well out-of-hand, so this isn't that encouraging). Still, the Ducks are rolling, and I'm believing. Ducks 4, Wild 3. Goals by Kunitz, Weight, Pahlsson, and Beauchemin.
Go Ducks.
13 comments:
To be fair I think we can classify Bertuzzi's injury as a "suckerpunch" as well.
God I hate Boogard.
Bring it on, Ducks!
Love,
Minnesota
Wow, I never thought I'd see any love from the State of Hockey (not just because of injuries, but that pesky playoff history too).
I think I've admitted on this site, but if not, here goes: I am a closet Wild fan. I like the uniforms and logo (am I crazy?), and aside from killing the Ducks this year, I love they way they play. Lemaire's created a great defensive system that generates great Minny chances.
It probably helps that I'm pretty pro-Slovak.
Still, as you say, bring it. I can hate them enough for tonight, at least.
I'm not a huge Ducks fan by any means but I do enjoy this blog, and also your work over at AOL Fanhouse. I also really like Scott Niedermayer and Andy McDonald. I also had fun trash talking with the Ducks fans on HF. The playoffs, some "fans" here at school that pretend to know about hockey (but mostly just spent all last spring taunting me while I was nursing my broken heart), and the habit of Ducks players breaking Wild players are probably the main reasons I dislike the team, but I know that the game will be chippy and entertaining.
Thanks for the compliments, ES. Now I feel slightly bad about the comments I made about wishing Parrish on Pronger's foot again. If I do a post game tonight, I'll be sure and give a shout-out thanks for it. We definitely have all the Slovaks you could ever want, and them some that you wouldn't ever want too.
I have blown several people off so that I can watch the game tonight, and I'm looking forward to it.
PS, you're not crazy. I really like the logo too, and it's even cooler for the fact that it has meanings behind it.
The playoffs, some "fans" here at school that pretend to know about hockey (but mostly just spent all last spring taunting me while I was nursing my broken heart)...
Don't feel bad, Kirsten. If I were a die-hard Wild fan, I'd hate the hell out of the Ducks -- I think it would be obligatory.
And between you and me and anybody who reads this blog, there are a lot of idiot Duck fans. Then again, that's probably true of 30 franchises.
The nice thing is we're not all idiots or assholes (at least all the time).
It is highly obligatory, especially since I'm living on the West Coast right now.
I would agree, there are idiot fans from every team, and unfortunately they seem to be the most vocal of the bunch.
True, I've met some pretty awesome Ducks fans.
Well, per Adam Brady's blog, Pronger didn't skate this morning but is hopeful that he might play (I still doubt it, but we'll see).
Regardless, it doesn't sound as serious as it could be, and that's good.
I'd link to Brady, but since he's made it his mission not to link here, I'm feeling petty.
Lame. I'm still not sure how to link to places, so all people get are mentions in pretty coloured text. Nothing wrong with being petty, Pensblog is trying to start a bitchfight.
I had forgotten that Pronger might not even play at all...
It probably helps that I'm pretty pro-Slovak.
If you're pro-Slovak, then you ought to be a Kings fan, no? They have one of the largest Slovak contingents in the NHL (Visnovsky, Handzus and Nagy, plus Dravecky in the system).
I question your love for the land of Janosik, the High Tatras and bryndzove halusky, dear Earl.*
* For the record, I didn't need to consult Wikipedia or some other reference to come up with three quintessentially Slovak things.**
** Also for the record, I'm living in Slovakia at the moment, in the middle of a nine-month stint. Though I still knew all those things long before I arrived.***
*** And finally for the record, I'm writing a dissertation on Slovak history, so I suppose I really should know all this and more. Like how badly announcers butcher and don't approximate the correct pronunciation of these and other Slovak names.
Don't forget the proud tradition of Slovaks also -- Palffy, Stumpel, and Demitra. I am a very very closet Kings fan, not to any degree where I'm pulling my hair out, but I am mystified by their inability to be near-good.
As for the focus of this post, I guess this game's addition will be Brad May's hand, though surprisingly enough that injury came while trying to play hockey, and not after a whistle.
Getzlaf also left the first period and went directly to the locker room.
I was incredibly concerned until I realized he was actually ON the ice as I lamented how his injury would hurt the ducks. The next thing I knew bert was kneeing a goalie in the face and scoring a goal.
It was a good thing.
Also, howzabout bertuzzi? cruising along at a point per ever since weight and scotty nieds returned - and, cincidentally, he was made a long term member of the getz/perry line. Granted, he's a major passenger of Getzlaf and Perry, but not even Penner could approach a point per riding shotgun with them.
earl...remind me to shoot you in the knee caps when and if I ever see u!! closet wild fan-king? waaaaa...the wild playing the most boring hockey alive( i realize we did too the first couple years but we had grim and ewen)
the closet king maybe becuase its a socal pride thing...but the wild..that piece of shit franchise...
you want to respect a team choose one playing an aggressive forechecking style game plus defensive liability...discourage the trapping pice of shit franchises (dallas, wild, boston, devils) they should all eat shit and die....
u owe me a patron shot when u see me...not sure what for..i just like free drinks!!!
earl u have joined the dark side!!! u.u...anakin skywalker!!!
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