ys like that. I thought we missed on a couple

[lw789]

With the NHL regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each team leading up to puck drop. Next up is the Anaheim Ducks, who look to take that next step towards Cup contention with new centre Ryan Kesler in the fold. Catch up on their summer moves and the issues they face this season, as well as Craig Buttons analysis of their top prospect and an analytical breakdown by TSNs Scott Cullen. Division: Pacific GM:Bob Murray Head Coach: Bruce Boudreau 2013-14: 54-20-8 (1st in Pacific) Playoffs:Lost in Second Round Goals For:263 (1st) Goals Against:203 (9th) PP:16% (22nd) PK:82.2% (13th) That Was Then: Last season was arguably Anaheims most successful since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007. The Ducks flourished last October, going 10-3-1 and getting stellar goaltending from 24-year-old Frederik Andersen. He posted six straight wins in his first six NHL games and kept Anaheim hot in November. By December, the Ducks kept running along, going 11-1-1 while riding a season-high 10-game winning streak. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were on a tear, combining for 30 points in 13 games. Anaheim followed that up with an even more impressive January. The Ducks posted eight straight wins following their 10-game winning streak. From Dec. 6 to Jan. 15, they collected 36 out of a possible 38 points winning 18 of 19 games. The Ducks clinched their second straight Pacific Division title on Apr. 10 with a win against the San Jose Sharks. They capped off the regular season by clinching the Western Conference crown on Apr. 12 with a shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings. Anaheim finished the season with their best record in franchise history at 54-20-8. They set club records for wins (54) and points (116) in a season. The Ducks also finished one point behind the Boston Bruins in the race for the Presidents Trophy. Once again, the duo of Getzlaf and Perry carried the brunt of the offensive load. The captain finished the season second in the league with 87 points while Perry followed suit with 82 and finished second to only Alexander Ovechkin with 43 goals. Andersen managed to impress, going 20-5 with a .923 save percentage and 2.29 goals against average, but he wasnt the only rookie goalie netminder in the organization that made noise. Twenty-one-year-old John Gibson was called up in April when Andersen went down with an injury and had the same positve effect as the Dane. He went 3-0 with a 1.33 goals against average in his short stay with the team. The Ducks faced the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs, taking a 3-0 series lead only to see the Stars climb back within one. Nick Bonino, however, sent Anaheim to the second round with the overtime-winner in Game 6 of the series. The second round posed a tougher challenge with the Kings. The Kings took a quick 2-0 series lead and Gibson was called upon again for Game 4. Head coach Bruce Boudreau made a risky move by starting the young goalie, but the gamble paid dividends. Gibson backstopped the Ducks to two straight wins - including a shutout - and propelled Anaheim to a 3-2 series lead. But just like Kings did throughout the 2013 playoffs, they erased the deficit eliminating the Ducks in Game 7. Scott Cullens Analytics Ducks 2013-14 stats by Quarter Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS% 1-20 3.35 2.35 10.6% .932 53.5% .775 21-41 2.95 2.48 9.0% .918 50.3% .714 42-62 3.38 2.10 9.5% .937 49.1% .714 63-82 3.15 2.85 10.2% .914 51.9% .625 NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8% .922 50.0% .562 Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points. Analysis: Games 1-20: Very good possession stats coupled with dominant percentages had Ducks flying from the get-go. Games 21-41: Possession and goaltending slipped, as did shooting percentage, but Ducks were still finishing at a high rate. Games 42-62: Subpar possession was overwhelmed by exceptional percentages, including their best run of goaltending for the season. Games 63-82: Jonas Hiller struggled late, so save percentage dipped, but Ducks kept winning with improving possession numbers and exceptional finishing. Key 2014 Additions: Dany Heatley, Ryan Kesler, Jason LaBarbera, Clayton Stoner, Nate Thompson Key 2014 Subtractions: Nick Bonino, Jonas Hiller, Saku Koivu, Mathieu Perreault, Stephane Robidas, Luca Sbisa, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Winnik This Is Now: The Ducks made a lot of changes during the off-season to become stronger in the ever-competitive Western Conference. The biggest move was the acquisition of Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks. With Getzlaf and Kesler, Anaheim gets a potent one-two punch at centre. Kesler also adds size to a squad that was lacking in that department a season ago. The Michigan native has scored 20-plus goals in six of the last seven seasons and helps a power play that was ranked 22nd overall last year. However, Anaheim gave up their third-leading scorer of last season in the deal, moving Bonino, along with Luca Sbisa. With the departures of Mathieu Perreault, Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, the Ducks added depth up front with winger Dany Heatley on a one-year contract. The two time 50-goal scorer looks to rejuvenate his career and may have a chance during the season to play alongside Perry and Getzlaf. They also solidified their defence adding Clayton Stoner to a squad that already boasts youngsters Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. The Ducks also let Jonas Hiller sign with the Calgary Flames, so the young tandem of Andersen and Gibson will duel for the starting job in goal this season. Jason LaBarbera was added on for goaltending depth. DEPTH CHART Forwards Left Wing Centre Right Wing Patrick Maroon Ryan Getzlaf Corey Perry Kyle Palmieri Ryan Kesler Andrew Cogliano Matt Beleskey Rickard Rakell Jakob Silfverberg Devante Smith-Pelly Nate Thompson Emerson Etem Dany Heatley William Karlsson Tim Jackman Louis LeBlanc Nicolas Kerdiles Stefan Noesen Defence Left Right Cam Fowler Ben Lovejoy Hampus Lindholm Francois Beauchemin Sheldon Souray Sami Vatanen Clayton Stoner Bryan Allen Mark Fistric Jesse Blacker Shea Theodore Josh Manson Goaltenders Frederik Andersen John Gibson Jason LaBarbera TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons Top Prospect: Nicholas Ritchie is that rare player with the size, power and skill to play any way the game dictates. He strikes an imposing figure, but he can just as easily skate past a defender as power by one. Goalie John Gibson is eligible for the 2014-15 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, but is rated a lock for the Ducks roster so hes not considered a candidate for the teams top prospect. But John has been a dominant goalie in junior, winning a U-18 Gold, World Junior Gold and World Championship Bronze all before the age of 20. He debuted in the NHL last season, including playoff starts and on a team built to contend for a Stanley Cup, he has the capability to backstop them to a championship. Fantasy - Cullens Player to Watch Patrick Maroon It took time for Maroon, a power forward, to stick in the NHL, playing only 15 games prior to last season, but he was able to score and put up penalty minutes in the American Hockey League, scoring more than 20 goals four times and registering more than 100 penalty minutes three times. He didnt burst onto the scene last year, either, scoring seven points in 25 games through the end of December, but then opportunities started coming for Maroon, and he started to produce. He earned more ice time, even getting chances to play with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on the Ducks top line and he finished with a flourish, scoring 15 points in his last 18 regular season games. If Maroon can earn and extra couple of minutes of ice per game, he could be in position to jump significantly from last years 11-goal, 29-point rookie season. . When the next inning rolled around Wednesday, though, Nationals manager Matt Williams sent Strasburg to the mound to face the top of the Dodgers order in what would become a 3-2 victory for Washington, the first time this season the No. .Mallais and his team out of Saint John defeated James Grattan 5-4 in Fredericton.The 2015 Tim Hortons Brier from Feb. http://www.thegrizzliesofficial.com/Aut ... es-Jersey/. Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. . Saltalamacchia has agreed to a $21 million, three-year deal with the Miami Marlins, two people familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday. . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night.OAKLAND, Calif. -- With one drive to determine whether Tennessee or Oakland would move right into the thick of the AFC playoff race, Ryan Fitzpatrick stepped up for the Titans. Fitzpatrick threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Wright with 10 seconds remaining to cap a mistake-free performance that led Tennessee to a 23-19 victory over the Raiders on Sunday. "That would have been a big, big loss for us in terms of what the rest of the season was going to look like," Fitzpatrick said. "We knew this was a gotta-have-it drive at the end of the game and the guys really stepped up." Fitzpatrick also threw a 54-yard TD pass to Justin Hunter and Rob Bironas added three field goals to give Tennessee (5-6) its second win in seven games. But despite the recent slump, the Titans find themselves in a six-way tie for the final playoff spot in the AFC. "We knew going into this one, in our world it was a playoff game," coach Mike Munchak said. "We couldnt fall to 4-7, we knew that. Im sure they felt the same way, so that was a huge drive." The Raiders (4-7) missed a chance to get into that group as the defence failed to hold onto a late lead and Sebastian Janikowski missed two field goals. After Bironas put Tennessee up 16-12 with his third field goal, Matt McGloin led the Raiders on a 75-yard scoring drive. He completed all four attempts and accounted for all but 1 yard on the drive, capping it with a 27-yard pass to Marcel Reece with 6:10 to play. Fitzpatrick calmly moved Tennessee downfield, completing eight of 10 passes. Then facing third-and-goal from the 10, Fitzpatrick found Wright, who beat Tracy Porter on an out pattern from the slot and fell into the end zone for the winning score. "Ryan made a great throw," Wright said. "All I had to do was look it in and get in the end zone. Before the start of that drive we said we werent going to let Rob Bironas come out here and kick a field goal to tie it up. We wanted to go down there and score seven. Wed been in this predicament a lot this season where we had the ball and we couldnt finish. We finally put it together and finished today." The play flittingly came on third down, when Fitzpatrick was at his best on his 31st birthday. He converted 10 of 18 third downs in the game, often in long-yardage situations in his best game yet in place of the injured Jake Locker. He completed 30 of 42 passes for 320 yards --none bigger than the throw to Wright. Hunter and Wright were his favouritte targets, gaining 109 and 103 yards, respectively.dddddddddddd "They just out-executed us, plain and simple," Porter said. "Whether it was game plan, guys out of position on certain things, coverages, landmarks, were supposed to get on the quarterback. We were just out-executed." Fitzpatrick and the Titans capitalized on a blown assignment for the first touchdown of the game on the opening drive of the third quarter. Hunter was left wide open and caught a pass 17 yards downfield before juking Phillip Adams and Brandian Ross and racing to the end zone for the score that put Tennessee up 13-9. The Raiders answered with a good drive before stalling at the 30. Janikowski missed his second field goal as his season-long struggles continue as he adjusts to new holder Marquette King after the departure of longtime mate Shane Lechler in the off-season. McGloin, an undrafted rookie out of Penn State, put the Raiders in position for a second straight win after his three-touchdown, no-interception performance last week in Houston. He completed 19 of 32 passes for 260 yards to earn a third start Thursday in Dallas, but also threw an interception that set up Tennessees second field goal. "Up and down day," McGloin said. "Youre going to have days like that. I thought we missed on a couple of opportunities offensively, but well go back to the drawing board." It was an ugly first half that featured five field goals, a blocked punt, a missed chip shot, a number of dropped passes, a poorly thrown interception and 12 penalties for 135 yards. The Raiders led 9-6 at the break, but could have had an even bigger advantage after Jeremy Stewart blocked Brett Kerns punt with 11 seconds left. McGloin threw a 23-yard pass to Rod Streater on the next play, but Janikowski pushed a 32-yard field goal wide left. That was his second miss from inside 40 yards this season after making 85 of 86 the previous five seasons. "Were not making them, not consistently enough," Allen said. "We have to continue to work to get better there." NOTES: The Titans had two 100-yard receivers and a 300-yard passer in the same game for the first time since Dec. 19, 2004, in a loss to Oakland. ... Raiders TE Mychal Rivera left in the first half with a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Titans S Michael Griffin. Oakland CB Mike Jenkins (concussion) and LB Kevin Burnett (bruised quad) and Tennessee TE Craig Stevens (concussion) also left with injuries. ' ' '