Ducks 4 - 2 Canucks
Final
  for this game

Ducks face stiff challenge against Canucks

Jan 15, 2012 - 3:43 PM (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Ducks have looked like a much better team as of late. They'll need to keep playing at that level tonight as they take on one of the top teams in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks.

The Ducks are coming off a 5-0 win over the Oilers on Friday, with Jonas Hiller making 33 saves for his second shutout of the season and 13th of his career. Corey Perry paced the offense by scoring twice.

Bobby Ryan, Teemu Selanne and Jason Blake all had a goal and Ryan Getzlaf posted four helpers for the Ducks, who have won four of five and improved to 7-9-3 since head coach Bruce Boudreau took over in late November.

Anaheim, though, still ranks 14th out of 15 teams in the West with 35 points, one back of Edmonton.

"Right now we're just taking it game by game and that's all you can do," said Blake. "We can't get back into the hunt if we don't win hockey games, so that is what we have to focus on doing."

A victory tonight over the Canucks would certainly be another boost to the Ducks' confidence, but Vancouver hasn't been making it a habit of losing. The Canucks notched a 3-2 road win over the Blues in overtime on Thursday for their fourth victory in five games.

Alexandre Burrows scored twice in regulation and Daniel Sedin scored on the power play 46 seconds into overtime. He took a feed from twin brother Henrik against a shorthanded Blues unit that also had a defender without a stick and converted it into his 700th career point.

"It's not easy to get the job done on the road sometimes, but we seem to find ways to win," said goaltender Roberto Luongo following a 31-save performance in the finale of a four-game road trip.

Henrik Sedin had two assists and leads the NHL with both 41 helpers and 52 points.

Vancouver will play each of its next six games at home and is 12-5-2 as the host this year. It currently trails the Rangers for the most points in the NHL by one and is a point up on the Blues and Blackhawks for the lead in the West.

The Canucks and Ducks are meeting for the first time this season in Vancouver after splitting a pair of contests in Anaheim. The Canucks are 5-2-1 in their last eight at home versus the Ducks.






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