After a moment of silence in memory of former Ducks’ GM Brian Burke’s son Brendan, who died Friday, the Ducks and Kings renewed their battle.

The Ducks we’re looking to extend their 9 game home winning streak and also for payback after a tough loss to the Kings Thursday in LA. The Kings were looking to extend their franchise record 9 game winning streak by defeating Anaheim for the 4th time this season. With a 9 game streak coming to an end either way, fans were expecting a great game. They got one.

The game started with the Ducks dominating, but it was the Kings’ Oscar Moller who scored first at 12:31 of the first period. The Ducks answered at 18:30 when Teemu Selanne put a rebound past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick on the power play. The power play goal tied Selanne for 10th on the all time PP goal list.

The 2nd period started like the 1st, with the Ducks coming out strong. This time it was the Ducks who scored first when Ryan Getzlaf scored 3:27 into the period. Two minutes later Getzlaf got tied up with Kings captain Dustin Brown and left the game with an ankle injury. Ducks center Saku Koivu put the Ducks ahead by 2 at 6:24. The Kings scored at 18:06 making it a one goal game. A comeback was not going to happen for them because the Ducks scored just 24 seconds later when Corey Perry scored a sweet goal shooting the puck past Quick from the faceoff circle.

The third period was back and forth with both team having good scoring chances and both goalie making some amazing saves. But the Ducks would not let the Kings score again and the Ducks won their 10th straight home game. the Ducks tied a franchise record for straight home game wins and ended the Kings winning streak.

It was a very good game by the Ducks and one more step towards making the playoffs. There are just 3 more games before the NHL takes a  two week break for the Olympics, where the Ducks have an NHL leading 9 players playing. Getzaf is “day to day” and is expected to play in the Olympics for Canada. Canada and the Ducks need Getzlaf if they want to win.

I have finished reading The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Book One. This is the start of the Percy Jackson series written by Rick Riordan. I was given this book by Bradley Smith, Thank you Bradley!

This book has a great plot. It was full of suspense, had some surprising twists and left me wanting more. It is exactly what a first book in a series should be. in my opinion the plot is the best part of this book. I hope the rest of the series can stay at this level.

The Lightning Thief is set in modern day New York, Long Island to be precise. Rick Riordan describes this setting in a way that makes it easy to picture in my head. I felt like I could almost see the lunch tables at the boarding school in the opening of the book.

The characters in this book are well developed. It is easy to understand their purpose and motivations. I like the way that they interacted with each other, it seemed very realistic. I also liked the way they resolved the problems they encountered.

Overall I would give The Lightning Thief a 9 out of 10 rating, because nothing is perfect, but this book is pretty close. I would recommend this book to friends but think it is best for ages 12 and up. It is 375 pages long, which might be a bit much for younger readers, plus the story has some advanced grammar.

Monday night the Ducks played the Calgary Flames at Honda Center. They had a good rivalry when the Ducks eliminated them from the playoffs in 2006 and they had one of the biggest bench clearing brawls in NHL history, so you never know what to expect when the Ducks play the Flames.

Getzlaf Scores (AP Photo)

This was a very weird game. Calgary scored first at 13:44 of the first period, former Ducks prospect Curtis Glencross scored on a breakaway, assisted by Olli Jokinen and Cory Sarich. But the ducks fought back, first Bobby Ryan scroed with an assist by Corey Perry at 15:47. This was Corey Perry’s 15^th game in a row getting an assist. Then at 16:55 Ryan Getzlaf made it 2-1 Ducks with an assist by supreme Sushi-Chef, Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski.

There was no scoring at all in the second period but a lot of penalties. Overall I though the Ducks had the better period. After two period Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, looked very good, and seemed to be playing like the Giguere we all remember.

The Ducks held their 1 goal lead until late in the third period when Calgary pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Jerome Ignila scored to tie the game with just 18 second left in regulation. This surprised Ducks fans who were all on their feet and excited for the victory.

It was time for the five minute, 4 on 4, sudden death over time. Overtime is always exciting. The overtime wads a back and forth battle with neither team managing to score. This game was going to be decided in a shoot-out!!!

Ducks Goalie Giguere held all three Flames shooter scoreless and Selanne scored on his attempt to make the final score 3-2 Ducks in the shootout!

After the game my Dad and I along with my cousin Hayden went down to the glass to try and get a stick from one of the players. My dad lifted me onto his shoulders as they announced Ryan Getzlaf second star of the game. Getzlaf skated from the bench towards us, as he got close he saw me on my dads shoulders, and signed his stick before handing it over the glass to me. I held it over my head as the fans nearby cheered and told me “good job”.

Ducks met the San Jose Sharks, Saturday night at Honda Center. This was their first meeting since an embarrassing Ducks loss to the sharks in their home opener. The Sharks were also looking for some revenge after being eliminated by the Ducks in the playoffs last season.

When the game started there seemed to be some obvious penalties judged by the crowd’s reaction but nothing is called by the refs. After a the first period passed with no goals it goes into intermission.

The Ducks were looking to change things in the second period and they did at 1:20 with a goal by James Wisniewski, assisted by Koivu and Whitney. Sadly the Sharks would tie it up at with Ryan Clowe scoring at 8:08 with an assist by former Duck defensman Kent Huskins. Then the Sharks scored again on a power play goal by first year Shark Danny Heatley, assisted by “Jumbo” Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau at 10:54. I was hoping the Ducks could come back and they answered my request at 19:46 with a goal by Whitney, assisted by Perry and Anaheim Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer.

The third period was a back and forth battle with both teams looking for the go ahead goal. It was the Sharks who made it happen at 8:49 when Heatley scored his 2^nd of the night, assisted again by Thornton.

That would be the final goal of the game as the Ducks had problems getting possession of the puck long enough to pull Jonas Hiller from goal for an extra attacker. Ducks lose 3-2.

I have to say even though the Ducks lost it was a very entertaining game because it went back and forth from the Ducks leading and then the Sharks leading giving them the win and their revenge sadly. At no time did it seem like the Ducks were out of it.

When the Ducks meet the Sharks again I hope they get their turn for revenge for this loss. Whatever happens, Ducks vs. Sharks is always a great rivalry game.

The Ducks were looking to get back on the right track following a disappointing road trip when they took to the ice against the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night at Honda Center.

Corey Perry (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The first period started quickly with the Ducks putting pressure on the Lightning right away. As a result, the Ducks got an early lead with a goal by Teemu Selanne off a great cross ice pass by Ryan Getzlaf at 6:25 of the first. It was his 11^th goal of the year and 590^th of his career. At 18:12 Selanne returned the favor with a nearly identical pass to Getzlaf to make it 2-0 Ducks going into the intermission. That assist by Selanne also ties him with Peter Forsberg for career assists. Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski left the game during the 1^st period after injuring his right foot blocking a shot.

3:10 into the second the duck’s Mike Brown and Tampa’s Zenon Konopka fought to the joy of the crowd. Soon after, Ducks left wing Bobby Ryan was cut above his right eye on a high stick by Tampa’s David Hale. Bobby returned to the ice to score on the 4 minute penalty to Hale at 6:52, before returning to the bench so the trainer could tend to his still bleeding eye. But Tampa Bay wasted no time responding. 31 seconds after Bobby’s goal, Tampa’s Jeff Halpern made it 3-1. Steven Stamkos made it 3-2 just 18 seconds after that. The Ducks were able to regroup and and hold off Tampa to take their 1 goal lead into the 3^rd period, but Todd Marchant’s tripping penalty at 19:59 would mean the Ducks started the 3^rd on the penalty kill.

In the 3^rd, it was Tampa Bay who got off to a quick start, Martin St. Louis scored on the Power play just 1:38 into the first making it a 3-3 tie. At 15:46 of the 3^rd the Duck’s Corey Perry took a very bad penalty for tripping Steven Stamkos behind the Tampa goal. But the Ducks were able to kill off the penalty to force overtime.

Tampa Bay’s Ryan Malone quickly took his own bad penalty when he cross-checked Ryan Whitney right in front of the referee just 11 seconds into overtime giving the Ducks a 4 on 3 man advantage. Ducks fans know what 4 on 3 means for the Ducks. Scott Niedermayer will prove why he is one of the best player sin the game. Just 41 seconds after Malone went to the box, Scott did exactly that, scoring the game winning goal with assists by Selanne and Getzlaf. It was Scott’s 13^th career overtime goal, making him 5^th all time for OT goals.

Next up for the Ducks, their division rival San Jose Sharks on Saturday at Honda Center. The Sharks are a much harder opponent than the Lightning and that game will be a a real challenge.

When the Ducks and Coyotes meet it’s always a heated division rivalry.

After being suspended for two games for his brutal hit on Phoenix Coyotes Captain, Shane Doan, Ducks Defenseman James Wisniewski returned to the ice Saturday to face, yes, the Coyotes.

It didn’t take long to see some action. This time it was on the scoreboard when Teemu Selanne scored on the power play from Scott Niedermayer and Ryan Whitney at 2:49.

The score stayed 1-0 until 12:44 in the 2^nd period. This time it was Bobby Ryan again with an assist by Niedermayer. 2-0 Ducks. Then again at 17:07 Corey Perry get’s it done with assists by Ryan Getzlaf & Coyote killer James Wisniewski. Ducks take a 3-0 lead into the 2^nd intermission.

When the third period commenced, the Ducks again scored quickly. Mike Brown buried one at 3:31 putting the Ducks up 4-0. But Phoenix who started the season as one of the hottest teams in the league, were not going to go down without a fight. At 6:27 Keith Yandle of the Coyotes scored unassisted, ending Ducks goalie, Jonas Hiller’s  shutout streak at 117 minutes. It didn’t take long for the Coyotes to score again, 38 second later Scottie Upshall scores making it 4-2 Ducks. Then at 14:36, Shane Doan himself scores making it 4-3. The end of the game is stressful as the Coyotes pull their goalie for an extra attacker to try and send the game to overtime. But the Ducks hang on to win 4-3.

That’s 2 wins in a row for a Ducks team that had started the season poorly. Let’s hope there is more winning to come.

After the game, Ducks winger Bobby Ryan was on the radio show. My sister Haili and I went down to watch the show and get Bobby’s autograph. Bobby knows my sister by name, because he is friends with former Duck, Drew Miller who knew Haili well and visited her in the Hospital. Bobby is always nice and both of us got our stuff signed.

Haili even got some advice as Bobby left, “Stay out of trouble Haili”.

Pretty funny when you think about her unfortunate habit of breaking bones.

I also gave Bobby a note telling him to visit my blog.

Hi Bobby!

I was at the library about a month ago looking for some books to read. My Dad suggested I read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. He said it was a “Classic” and that “every kid reads it in school”, though I don’t think most  kids read it when they are 10 years old.

John Steinbeck was a phenomenal author, but that is a bit obvious because he is a Nobel Prize winner for Literature.

Of Mice and Men is a 107 page book about two men named Lenny and George. Lenny and George are looking to fix their lives as homeless people who can’t seem to find a way of life besides scavenging for jobs to get food. When they find another job they try to fix their lives forever, but everything doesn’t go as planned. When it all goes south they learn that sometimes its impossible to fix something that bad.

The characters are very well developed by the author. Lenny is not as smart as George. In fact, He’s not very bright at all. George guides Lenny, like a mentor, taking care of him and keeping him out of trouble. These characters are realistic and likeable. It was very easy to get attached to them and this made the story more interesting.

I liked the dialog in this story, it was easy to read and focus on the dialog because you understood what they said and it wasn’t like they were speaking a different language. There is a good mix of dialog and narrative to carry the story and both were creative and entertaining.

 The setting of the story was phenomenal and pure genius. It was very descriptive and realistic.

I would rate this book a 10 out of 10. My Dad was right, Of Mice and Men is very good and might be one of the best books I have ever read. I would recommend this book to everyone who has not read it yet, though it is probably best for ages 13 to 18.

Great book.

James Wisniewski, Sushi Chef?

I do.

Sushi is healthy. I love the taste and the combinations of flavors. My favorite type of Sushi is cut rolls, especially Big Wisniewski Roll (created by ducks Defenseman, James Wisniewski) at RA and the Tornado Roll at Riptide.

If you have never tried Sushi, you may be surprised and will probably like it. It is not just raw fish, there are many kinds of Sushi, so don’t be afriad and give it a try soon.

The Anaheim Ducks met the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins at Honda Center on Tuesday.

Scott Niedermayer (Jeff Gross / Getty Images)

Not only was it a rare appearance at Honda Center by the Penguins, there were some other interesting stories to this match up. It was the first time Penguins forward Chris Kunitz and Ducks defenseman, Ryan Whitney had played against their old teams since being traded for each other last season. Former Mighty Duck, Dan Blysma returned to Honda Center for the first time as coach of the Penguins. The top two picks in the 2005 NHL Draft met for the first time when Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Ducks winger Bobby Ryan took to the ice.

The first period started off quickly with the Duck’s Corey Perry firing in his 100^th career goal at 3:57, thanks to an assist by Scott Niedermayer. Following Perry’s goal the Ducks spent 8 minutes short handed due to four almost back to back penalties resulting from some questionable calls by the officials. The Ducks penalty kill was up to the task this time and the Ducks were able to hold off the powerful Pittsburgh offense to keep a 1-0 lead going to the 2^nd period.

Pittsburgh got out to a lead in the second period with goals from Mike Rupp and Kris Letang. Until Corey Perry scored his second goal of the game with assists by Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan at 16:01. Perry’s goal evened the score at 2-2 headed into the third period.

Ducks lost the lead when Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski scored at 7:55, but the Ducks didn’t wait long to respond. Saku Koivu evened it up again for the Ducks 19 second later, but the scoring wasn’t stopping yet. Pascal Dupuis scored the go ahead goal for the Penguins 59 seconds later making 3-4. The Penguins hung on to this lead for the victory. Even though the Ducks had some very good chances to tie the game late, it wasn’t meant to be.

In my opinion, this was by far the best game the Ducks have played this season. The Ducks really seem to have improved their ability to work together as a team. Corey Perry again showed why he needs to be on the Canadian Olympic Team and the Ducks penalty killing units were phenomenal. The improved penalty kill is good, but they need to improve on their power play. Actually shooting on goal would be a good place to start. The Ducks may not have won this game, but compared to the start of the season it was a improvement.

This game was all about revenge for the come from behind, overtime win by the Wild last week.

For the first time this season the Ducks scored first in the game. Corey Perry scored twice, the first at 1:41 of the 1st period from Nick Boynton. Less than 7 minutes later he scored again on an assist from Bobby Ryan. The second goal perry scored was a perfect backhand shot that beat Backstrom on the stick side. The crowd began cheering enthusiastically whenever Perry got the puck, hoping for another goal and his first ever Hat Trick. Evengy Artyukhin got in his first fight as a Duck when he fought with former Duck, Shane Hnidy at 13:49 of the 1st period. 6′ 5″ ,263 Lbs. Artyukhin won this fight easily over the much smaller Hnidy.

The score stayed 2-0 for most of the second period until the Ducks Ryan Carter scored at 15:11 with an assist from Mike Brown. Just over 1 minute later, Eric Belanger got one past Jonas Hiller, making it 3-1 and ruining the fans hopes for a shutout.

For a lot of the third period the Ducks played their top line, partly to try and get Perry that 3rd goal, but also to try and avoid a repeat of last week’s Wild comeback victory. With the  game nearing it’s end and Minnesota losing 3-1, they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. Time after time the Ducks tried to get the puck to Perry for a shot at the empty net with the crowd chanting “Perry, Perry, Perry”, but it was Minnesota’s Andrew Brunette who scored with just over 9 second left. The last 9 seconds went without another goal and the Ducks win 3-2.

It was a good game, I liked it a lot. The played hard and never gave the Wild a real chance. This is the way I like to see the Ducks play, much better than the game last week in Minnesota.