For the first time all season, things are starting to go Anaheim’s way.
Ryan Getzlaf, who’s missed the last four games to an appendectomy, will make his return to the Ducks lineup tonight when they take on the Blue Jackets at the Honda Center.
“I don’t think I’ve ever come back in a game where I wasn’t ready to play,” Getzlaf said, per the team’s Twitter. I don’t expect to be limited. I just want to go play.”
It’s a big get for the Ducks, who return their captain while riding their first two-game winning streak of the season.
Getzlaf manned his usual top-line center position at Friday’s morning skate, rushing alongside usual running mate Corey Perry. Perry, of course, snapped a terrible scoring drought in Wednesday’s 3-2 shootout win over Florida, snapping an 11-game goalless drought to begin the campaign.
In related Ducks news, forward Rickard Rakell -- who’s been one of the team’s better scorers this year, with two goals and four points -- is sidelined with an upper-body injury and won’t play tonight. Anaheim called up Harry Zolnierczyk from AHL San Diego to fill the roster spot.