Andersen plays through flu as Ducks extend home win streak over Flames
Not to be cliche, but this one might be remembered as Frederik Andersen's "flu game."
Wednesday night at the Honda Center, Andersen showed us his character and competitive drive when he backstopped the Anaheim Ducks to a 6-3 win over the surging Calgary Flames despite playing through the flu. It was a strong performance that sent the Ducks into the All-Star break on a high note as they won their fifth-straight game and sit atop the Western Conference with 68 points.
"I don't think people realize how amazing it was," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It's the battler that he is. He made some big saves to keep it in there when it could have gotten a lot closer."
The lineups already had been submitted when the Ducks realized just how sick Andersen really was. After vomiting before the game and between periods, he was receiving IV fluids and Ilya Bryzgalov was warmed up and ready to go in the third with the Ducks up 4-2. But Andersen returned and weathered a big push by one of the best third-period scoring teams in the league.
Andersen said he never thought about not going out there.
"I wanted to win and I was able to battle through it," he said. "It was a little bit of a battle, but everybody really battled for me too and that was nice to see."
Tim Jackman on what it's like to be on the other side of the Anaheim-Calgary streak https://t.co/mfYoBkj8xT
— Abbey Mastracco (@AbbeyMastracco) January 22, 2015
Andersen played behind an offense that saw big offensive contributions from the first two lines and even bigger performances on both ends of the ice from the big fourth line. Center Nate Thompson assisted on back-to-back goals the line was responsible for the key fourth goal by Tim Jackman.
"I love playing with that line," defenseman Ben Lovejoy said. "Nate (Thompson) has been a huge pickup. When I was injured and watching from the pressbox, I thought that Tim Jackman consistently one of our best forwards. He's not fancy, but he's really hard to play against and he brings a lot of energy and a lot of speed and I think that whole line was clicking tonight and that was a big part of our victory."
The Flames, who are still hanging on to the final spot in the Western Conference after the Kings' loss in San Jose, have been one of the streakiest teams in the league all season but came in having won their last four straight, all on the road. But rookie goaltender Joni Ortio finally came back to earth, being pulled in favor of the veteran and former Duck Jonas Hiller in the second.
The man, the myth, the legend: The Rev, delivering a postgame sermon. https://t.co/8Rzs0XmgRn
— Abbey Mastracco (@AbbeyMastracco) January 22, 2015
The word rivalry is probably not the one you would use to describe history between the these two teams. After all, is it really a rivalry when one team has won 20 straight times? Calgary is now winless in its last 20 attempts at the Honda Center, winning only one time in the last 30 games between the two Pacific Division foes in Anaheim.
In other words, the streak has nearly spanned the life of Ducks' youngsters Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell.
It's not something the team talks about much, but Jackman remembers what it was like to be on the other side of it.
The man, the myth, the legend: The Rev, delivering a postgame sermon. https://t.co/8Rzs0XmgRn
— Abbey Mastracco (@AbbeyMastracco) January 22, 2015
"Even the games that were close when I was (playing) in Calgary, we would have the lead and they would find a way to score late or score in overtime," Jackman said. "I remember having big games with Calgary and they always came back and found a way to win.
"It's nice to be on the winning side."
And it's nice to go into the break with a win, as well. Just four days from now, the Ducks will be tasked with protecting their lead as the season takes on a heightened level of importance.
