Ducks RW Perry eyes return

Apr 16, 2008 - 10:23 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- After being sidelined for six weeks, Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry feels he is ready to make his return to the ice.

The 22-year-old All-Star hopes to play on Thursday in Game Four of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the fifth-seeded Dallas Stars. The Stars lead the best-of-seven series two games to one.

"I feel pretty good," Perry said on Wednesday. "Practice was on the lighter side today, but yesterday we did a lot of skating at the end of practice, and it's gotten better since last week, that's for sure."

The Ducks' leading goal scorer with 29 tallies this season, Perry hasn't played since he suffered a lacerated tendon above his right knee after being struck by the skate blade of Colorado goaltender Jose Theodore on March 6.

Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle has taken a cautious approach in regard to Perry.

"If we decide to play Corey Perry, we will ease him in," Carlyle said. "We're putting him in a real tough situation if we decide to use him, to expect offense and put him with Ryan Getzlaf and whoever we decide to use on the other side. We think it's dangerous to put a player in his first game back in that situation.

"There will be a lot of intensity tomorrow, the game will be at a high pace and there will be a lot of physical play. Sometimes it takes a while for a player to get his feet underneath him."

Perry has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Anaheim, recording 25 assists in 70 games.