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Red Wings break skid, but Ducks should turn things around too

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James

If you wanted to give tonight’s Anaheim Ducks-Detroit Red Wings a cute name, it might have been appropriate to call it “The Worry Bowl.” After Detroit’s dominant 5-0 win, it seems like the Ducks have bigger issues.

The Red Wings snapped their six-game losing streak in a big way, with most of their big guns getting in on the fun. Nicklas Lidstrom earned three points while fellow Swedes Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg got on the board too (maybe that wake-up call worked after all?). Jimmy Howard cruised to a shutout and even the ailing Red Wings power play connected on a single tally.

Meanwhile, things seem to be amiss for Anaheim. They’ve lost five games in a row and an even more troubling eight of their last nine. At some point, the Ducks’ big trio of Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf need to surpass their ageless teammate Teemu Selanne if the team wants to camouflage their significant weaknesses.

That being said, the Ducks have reasons for optimism

There are some bright sides to look on for the Ducks, though. They still managed to get a win and three charity points out of that treacherous run. Better yet, the team will enjoy plenty of home cooking: a staggering 11 out of their next 13 contests are at home.
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Ultimately, both teams should be fine - to a point. The Red Wings got back on track while the Ducks face a golden opportunity over the next chunk of games. Still, each squad should look at their recent (and in Anaheim’s case, ongoing) struggles as a clear example that they won’t earn wins or score goals based on their reputations alone.