Ducklings kill Baby Bruins?

Well that don't seem like the Mutual of Omaha way of things... but alas, it is true. The Junior Ducklings of Anaheim knocked off the Providence Baby Bruins in a 4-3 victory. Providence is used to these one goal losses as long as Jordan Sigalet has been in goal, but they are always tough to take.

Once again, Providence struck first - and quickly - when Pierre-Luc Edmond beat Michal Lanicek at 00:34 for his eighth goal of the season. Despite such a prodigious start, the Bruins would see things fall apart on their home ice quickly.

In the next fifteen minutes, seven penalties would be called - five on the Bruins - as Providence went into attack mode - literally. Earning penalty time for cross checking (Paul Gaustad), roughing (Milan Jurcina and Shaone Morrison), fighting (Roman Vopat, who beat down Scott Lynch in such fashion that Lynch left the game and Vopat was ejected), and unsportsmanlike conduct (Jake Taylor), the Bruins gave the Ducks ample power play opportunity.

With the ice cleared for four-on-three hockey after Vopat's fight and Taylor's penalty, the Ducklings flapped their wings and shook their tailfeathers on the powerplay, as Pierre Parenteau scored his tenth goal of the year at 14:21 to know the game at one, where the score would stay through the break.

In the second period, Maxim Rybin struck early as well, catching Sigalet off-guard - not hard, mind you - to score at 00:53. After a Jiri Jakes elbowing minor gave Anaheim the five-on-four advantage, Rybin returned to the net for a power play goal, his fifteenth of the year and second of the night at 05:06 to put the visitors up 3-1.

The Baby Bruins went into catch-up mode, trying to attack the net. In a flurry of activity, Jaarko Harikkala - which would be Alakkirah Okraaj backwards, right Harry? - managed to poke the puck past Michal Lanicek to close the game to 3-2 with eleven minutes remaining in the second period.

Alas, the perfect storm was more of a whistlewetter, and all the offense would cease. The Baby Bruins managed only nine shots in the period despite an extended power play following Pierre Parenteau's roughing call at 17:22 and would retreat to the locker room still down a goal.

Rested for the third period, though, Ivan Huml continued the quick strike tone of the game, scoring an unassisted goal reminiscent of Eric Daze's one shining star play, beating Lanicek stick side on a breakaway at 00:43 to tie the game. The glee would be shortlived, though, as after Jiri Jakes was called for another penalty - cross checking, this time - the Ducklings capitalized on yet a third power play goal at 03:12. Travis Roche took advantage of Sigalet like a drunk seventeen year old, faking him out til he fell down to notch the game winner.

The remainder of the game featured two more power play opportunites for Providence, who could do jackshit with them. In fact, the team took only six shots on goal in the period as they fell, 4-3.

Special teams were the name of the game - Anaheim scored three of their four goals on the power play, and killed all five Boston opportunities to claim the win. Maxim Rybin claimed the first game star, and Lanicek improved to 22-21-7 on the season.