Ducks lose to lowly Panthers
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There are reasons the Ducks could make a run at another Stanley Cup. The talent is there, from the goaltender (Jean-Sebastien Giguere) to the young stars (Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry) and veteran players (Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, Chris Pronger).
Why the Ducks might not get a shot at another Cup was on display Sunday evening.
A natural hat trick by Florida’s David Booth gave the Panthers a 3-1 victory, though it would not have been possible without the uneven play by the Ducks.
Giguere meandered too far from the net. Booth took advantage to tie the score, 1-1, in the first period.
The Ducks’ Brian Sutherby couldn’t control the puck in the neutral zone. The Panthers went on a 3-on-2 rush, ending in a Booth shot from the slot for a 2-1 lead six minutes into the second period.
Ducks’ captain Scott Niedermayer took an interference penalty in the Panthers’ zone. Booth parlayed that into a power-play goal, flicking the puck through traffic for a 3-1 lead 18 minutes into the second period, leaving Duck fans to boo their team.
The Ducks had moments, though, where they pressed and the Panthers were stressed. In the end, the Ducks were left with an unacceptable loss to a team that came in with a seven-game losing streak and the NHL’s fewest points.
-- Chris Foster
