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Ducks hope to rebound from tough loss

Mar 16, 2007 - 3:48 PM Chicago (27-34-9) at Anaheim (42-17-12) 10:00 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Anaheim Ducks have an opportunity to pull away in the Pacific Division during their season-high eight-game homestand.

The Ducks look to continue taking advantage of home ice Friday when they host the lowly Chicago Blackhawks.

Anaheim has a seven-point lead over Dallas (41-23-5) and San Jose (42-25-3) and is 5-0-1 on the homestand despite a 5-4 shootout loss to Columbus on Wednesday.

Defenseman Francois Beauchemin had two goals and fellow blue-liner Scott Niedermayer had three assists for the Ducks, who have won seven of their last nine contests.

The Blackhawks defeated Los Angeles, 4-3, in a shootout on Thursday for their third win in their last four games. Nikita Alexeev scored in regulation and notched the decisive tally in the seventh round of the shootout.

Nikolai Khabibulin made 24 saves for his second straight win. Khabibulin made a season-high 42 saves in a 4-3 triumph over Anaheim on November 17.