The Battle of the Bottom

[Perry: "But the top of the league is waaay up there..." Photo by H. How]

If anyone had mentioned to me before the beginning of this season that one of the Battle of the Bottom games would feature the Anaheim Ducks, I would have asked what kind of DC crack they were smoking before giving them a swift kick in the pants. With the expectations everyone had for the Ducks going into the start of the season, there was no way they'd be at the bottom - that place is always reserved for the likes of the Leafs, Oilers, Yotes, and Sabres...right? 

Alas, the harsh reality is that at the infant stages of this NHL season, they are just above the Leafs as the second worst team in the entire league. Hey, at least Toronto are doing their part as being at the bottom of the barrel! Right above the Ducks are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who just as well as Anaheim, had better expectations of being where they currently stand. The boys from 'Lumbus are coming off an entertaining 3-2 win from last night's game against the Los Angeles Criminals (which made me smile from Nick Foligno's re-arranging of Kyle Clifford's face). Anaheim are riding a lengthy 2-game win streak from Wednesday night's shootout victory that sent the Panthers packing to San Jose, the same game in which Corey Perry finally scored a goal by tying it up 5 seconds before it ended. 

Tonight, the two will be tested in their skills as the worst teams. And as I write this post, news has broke that Cap'n No-Hair looks to make his return from last season's Western Conference Final! Will Hampus have another terrible game? Will Hartnell stay on his skates? How many times will I face palm from watching the Ducks pathetically breakdown defensively? We shall see! It should be depressingly entertaining.

Go Ducks!