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Ducks look for continued success against Blackhawks

Dec 7, 2007 - 2:56 PM Anaheim (13-12-4) at Chicago (14-11-2) 8:30 pm EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) - A trip to Chicago on Friday might be just what the reigning Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks need.

The Ducks have won five consecutive games in Chicago and are 9-0-1 against the Blackhawks in the last 10 games. Anaheim is 13-1-1 with a tie in the last 16 meetings.

Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere has won four straight starts against Chicago. Giguere is 11-2-0 with a tie and a 1.93 goals-against average in his last 14 games against the Blackhawks.

Anaheim learned on Wednesday that veteran Scott Niedermayer would be putting off retirement and returning to the team when the Ducks return home from the current three-game trip.

Without Niedermayer, Anaheim is tied with Chicago for eighth in the Western Conference with 30 points. The Ducks were 20-3-6 at this point in 2006-07, having totaled 102 goals, 32 more than this season. Andy McDonald has six goals and 16 points in his last 14 games against the Blackhawks.

Chicago has lost two straight, including a 3-2 defeat to Vancouver on Wednesday in the first of a four-game homestand. The loss ended the Blackhawks' five-game home winning streak.

Patrick Kane, the first overall selection in this year's draft, leads Chicago with 27 points but has failed to score a goal in 10 straight games. Backup goaltender Patrick Lalime is 6-1-0 with a 1.90 GAA all-time against Anaheim.