Staff photo by Chris Seward
RALEIGH -- The Anaheim Ducks scored three times in the third period in taking a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday night at the RBC Center.
Teemu Selanne's power-play goal at 7:16 of the third gave the Ducks (14-8-3) a 2-1 lead. The goal by Selanne came on a redirection of a Chris Pronger blast just after the Canes killed off 38 seconds of a two-man advantage by Anaheim.
Rob Niedermayer then followed with an even-strength goal at 8:25 for a 3-1 lead and scored a second goal later in the period. The Ducks, beginning a three-game road trip, picked up their fourth straight victory.
The Canes outshot the Ducks 17-3 in the second period but the period ended in a 1-1 tie. Jonas Hiller again was in net for the Ducks with Jean-Sebastien Giguere just rejoining the team after attending to personal matters in Montreal.
"Five-on-five, I thought we generated a lot of chances," Canes coach Peter Laviolette said. "We had a lot of opportunities. There were a lot of pucks at the net, a lot of traffic and things that we want to do to score goals.
"Powers plays, there's nothing in sync with it. There's nothing good about it right now."
The Canes were 0-for-4 on the power play and are 0-25 in their last six games.
"Our urgency in those situations has to be better on the power play," Laviolette said.
Michael Leighton took over in goal at the start of the second period for the Canes. Cam Ward has a "lower-body" injury, but he returned to the bench seven minutes into the period.
"We just didn't want to risk any further injury, so hopefully it's nothing that's long-term," Laviolette said.
Leighton said he was told halfway through the first intermission that Ward would not be able to go,
"It's always tough but that's what being a backup goalie is all about," Leighton said. "If it's going to happen, it's better that it happen in the first period rather than going into the third period.
"I felt pretty good. That kind of stuff happens."
The Canes trailed 1-0, again, for a 10th straight game, but got a goal from Matt Cullen for a 1-1 tie after the first period.
The Canes took advantage of a turnover in the Anaheim zone by former Hurricanes defenseman Bret Hedican. Patrick Eaves got off a shot from the slot and Cullen crashed the net for the rebound and scored his sixth goal of the season at 6:48. ...
The Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf turned a turnover by the Canes' Josef Melichar in the Carolina zone into a score at 1:44. Getzlaf grabbed the puck and fired in a shot from the right circle for his 10th goal of the season. ...
Dennis Seidenberg (groin), Scott Walker (groin) and Tim Gleason (leg) were scratches for the Canes. ...
Anaheim is 7-2-1 on the road this season but has gone 7-0-1 in the last eight games. ...
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
The Flower Play
Mon, 12/01/2008 - 09:43 — CassiusKingTHAT was agony to witness live last night. I hate to admit it, but CanesRBoing is spot on. In honor of the Lavender getting blown out at home with another BORING effort, I say that we give that travesty man advantage (?) a new moniker until he is gone. The flower play.
First Goal Trend
Mon, 12/01/2008 - 09:39 — chippateA friend of mine pointed this out to me:
If you go back and look at the last 10 games or so, Cam Ward seems to give up a goal within the first 5 shots he sees. Last night he gave up a goal on the 4th shot.
Powerplay is near death
Mon, 12/01/2008 - 00:19 — ynotagain"Hopeless" said many of the items I had on my mind.
For some reason this team will not show up for 60 minutes.
I thought their effort for the first 40 was good; their desire in the 2nd period was excellent. But who were those guys that skated around in the 3rd ? Terrible effort for the last 20 minutes.
MASSIVE MAJOR CHANGE is needed on the powerplay.
I hate when we get the man advantage lately. It's useless; the Cullen line skates better 5 on 5 tha any of the PP lines.
SIT STAAL AND BRINDY FOR A GAME and let them watch what I watched tonight !
OUCH.
Don't can Lavi just yet
Mon, 12/01/2008 - 10:17 — HockeydogFiring Lavi would be a shakeup move more than a solid cure.
While I do think he is responcible for giving ice time where it is not earned, don't blame the coach for lack of motivation. These are not kids, they are audlts who are being paid to play. How many times does the coach have to lay into a team before the powers that be realize the team can't or won't play at the level required in the NHL to win. Now players are humans so an occasional motivational speech is not a bad thing, but folks, it is what it is. This is likely a .500 team that will make the playoff by a hair or just miss, which will result in another pick in the draft just low enough to NOT get an impact player. It will result in a pick of a player with some skill and no size. Wann support the team? Let them know you will support them as the rebuild. Then get a front office that has a better eye for the type of player needed to consistantly win. Go to games and watch the team because you love hockey
Gee I sorta feel bad..but
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 23:11 — esteban1949The Jr. Hurricanes won tonight. 5-2 against moose-jaw, and moose jaw was playing better than the Carolina Hurricanes did tonight....
Go Canes ??
Forget the Coach Change..get rid of Rutherford!!
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:47 — CanesRBoringLav can only work with the players he has and in my opinion he is between a rock and a hard place. He is forced to play his midget team in a dump and chase, puck pursuit style. Unfortunately, that will not work in the upper echelon of the NHL. But it is not his fault. He is playing the hand dealt to him.
It is Rutherford's [ and yes OMG dear I say....Ron Francis too!!] fault for getting spittn images of the same players. Too many small puny players that buzz around like gnats at a summer barbecue [Broobank or Conboy are not even close to bringing grit]. I don't care what line changes are made or who plays in the PPK or PP, this team will win some and might make the playoffs, but it will never obtain the level of an exciting fast pace, hard hitting team with sweet goal scoring.
Too many players that way under 200lbs, that get knocked unconscious when they are checked legally.
Of course the inevitable cry of the cryniacs will no doubt say leave my poor babies alone, they are the best...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Hard to argue with ya....
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:30 — bulldog424You guys are all making very valid points. What frustrates me the most about this team is this terrible inconsistency thus far. It's hard to blame 'injuries' because EVERY team has them to one degree or another. The talent is there. I have to disagree with you, abramsdoug, on just one of your points however, the Canes ARE a "credible team"...but I am starting to agree that coaching (i.e., preparation, motivation, etc) IS a major issue. I think Rutherford seeks to maintain stability in the organization, and is thus hesitant to make a drastic move while this team IS above .500 and IS "playoff-eligible".....for now.
New Coach. New Captain. New Team. New Tradition.
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:22 — lbloomerCanes stunk up the joint again tonight. When is management going to fire the coach and make a trade for a center - Brindy is obviously not ready to play and should be benched for the good of the team instead of let him go out there night after night and embarrass himself and the franchise. He's gone from Selke to sucky in just over a season. Time to pack it in and go another direction. Please, please do something - I have wasted too much money on season tickets to watch our team not compete. It would be one thing to lose to another team because they played harder or got lucky. We are just not trying night after night. Is this our team? Is this our tradition?
Waiting for the Inevitable Coaching Change 2009-2010
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:13 — abramsdougI just came back from the Ducks game. It's inevitable as far as I am concerned. Lavi is gone, gone, gone; but only after the end of this season when the Hurricanes miss yet again the playoffs. In the meantime, the Hurricanes powerplay will be powerless, and the team will continue to be awful on home ice. I now view each game as just one step closer to Lavi's firing and the rebuilding of the Hurricanes into a credible team. It's just a shame JR and PK won't man up and fire Lavi now.
hopeless
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:08 — rmmeliThe so-called star players are not doing it. Staal - did nothing. Brind'Amour - gave away the puck at all the wrong times. Not good enough to be even playing unless he moves to the fourth line. Babchuk and Melichar are collectively awful and that is being kind. Once again the third line is the only line doing anything. The first line is a collection of individuals playing their own game. The second line is hampered by Brind'Amour. The power play is obviously just a joke.
Overall the team is lacking the first period motivation just like last year. It needs a fundamental change but obviously Rutherford won't do it or else he would have done something by now. Maybe he has an upper body injury that is hampering his ability to make a decision.
Michael Leighton gets lit up
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:56 — PhantomLordMichael Leighton gets lit up every time he steps between the pipes.
For a guy that had 98 saves in a game last year, I have yet to see anything outstanding from him.
Start calling him John Graham II
Leighton
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:58 — WAStoutEven if he had stopped those two break-aways...we still would have lost. The forwards have to SCORE. Or the PP needs to SCORE.
Official Lull is On
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:49 — Johnston_County...The team is officially in their annual Nov-Dec funk and playoff hopes are fading away NOW. Problem is that JR will wait too long for any eventual changes to have a positive impact.
Luke DeCock published a short but interesting article recently entitled 'Caps' change a big success,' referring to the coaching change they made last Thanksgiving. A subtle hint of things to come for the Canes? Let's hope so.
Am I the only one.....
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:42 — mam919Its just my opinion BUT am I the only one watching this train wreck? Come on! LETS GO WITH A COACH CHANGE!
J.R. Will Find Yet Another Excuse
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:40 — WAStoutCam got hurt, Melichar give-away, blah, blah...
Even with the defensive holes, there's no reason this team should not outscore them...should have been 6-4.
Not gonna say "fire coach"...sick of saying it.
Goodbye, Coach.
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 21:19 — John_BurnsThanks for the memories.