Oilers-Ducks Preview
Anaheim, CA – Ryan Getzlaf has helped lead the Anaheim Ducks’ recent turnaround, but now he could be sidelined as his team tries to break the franchise record for consecutive home wins.
The Ducks look to win their 11th straight at the Honda Center on Wednesday night when they host the lowly Edmonton Oilers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com have made the NA –NA money line favorites for Wednesday’s game against the NA. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that NA% of more than NA bets for this game have been placed on the NA.
Getzlaf scored his 15th goal and extended his point streak to five games in a 4-2 win over Los Angeles on Monday, but left in the second period with a sprained ankle.
X-rays revealed no broken bones and he is expected to undergo an MRI before Wednesday’s contest. It hasn’t been determined how much time, if any, Getzlaf will miss. The Ducks (28-24-7) have three games remaining before the Olympic break and Getzlaf, who was on crutches and wearing a protective boot afterward, has been selected to play for Canada.
"I haven’t really thought about (the Olympics), to be honest," said defenseman Scott Niedermayer, captain of the Ducks and Getzlaf’s Canadian teammate. "I know he would love to play, but we don’t know how badly hurt he is right now. Hopefully he’s in our lineup in two nights (against Edmonton)."
Getzlaf, the team leader with 57 points, has two goals and six assists during his five-game streak with Anaheim going 4-1 in that span.
Getzlaf’s injury comes at a particularly inopportune time as the Ducks have started to turn things around after a poor start. They’ve won 12 of their last 17 overall and Monday’s victory was the team’s franchise record-tying 10th straight at home. Anaheim hasn’t lost in regulation at home since Dec. 1 and has scored at least four goals in nine of those 10 home wins.
"We have to win as many games as possible to have a chance to make the playoffs at all, so tonight was a really important one," goalie Jonas Hiller said. "Everybody saw tonight how much we wanted to win. Those three days off definitely were good for us. We showed right away that we had a lot of energy and tried to put pressure on them."
The Ducks have lost their last four home games against the league-worst Oilers (18-34-6), who have been outscored 13-3 in losing on the first three stops of a five-game road trip.
The Oilers are coming off a 6-1 loss to Phoenix on Monday. Edmonton didn’t score until late in the third period when Dustin Penner netted his team-high 23rd goal.
Penner’s goal was only his fifth in the last 26 games. Edmonton has three wins during that stretch and has suffered 10 consecutive road losses.
Jeff Deslauriers made 27 saves Monday to lose his third straight start. The Oilers have been outscored 42-10 during their road skid and have given up six goals in three of the last five away from home.
"We sure give up some easy goals," coach Pat Quinn said. "As long as we are that easy to beat in certain areas, we’ll be looking at some ugly scores."
Penner scored two goals in his last visit to Anaheim, a 5-3 victory March 27.
Posted: 2/10/2010 12:10AM ET