With An Appendix-less Getzlaf, The Anaheim Ducks Are Back

0-4-1, the Anaheim Ducks record during a recent central division road trip. While most of the games during that trip were closer than that record would indicate, the results were not what the Ducks had hoped for.

Four of the five games during that road trip had the Ducks playing without their captain Ryan Getzlaf, who underwent a non-emergency appendectomy after continually experiencing discomfort to begin the season.

Getzlaf missed the following nine days before returning to the Ducks lineup Friday night against Columbus, and what a return it was.

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Getzlaf was the immediate spark the Ducks needed as he and twin Corey Perry each had three assists in the 4-2 win over the Jackets. The Ducks were back on the ice one day later in San Jose and it was again Getzlaf who led the charge.

A 1-0 victory came at the hands of the twins once again as Getzlaf made an unbelievable pass to Perry who had gotten behind the Sharks defense and the breakaway goal proved to be the difference.

Ryan Getzlaf with an appendix- 1 assist in 8 games.

Ryan Getzlaf without an appendix- 4 assists in 2 games.

Anyone still questioning whether or not he was actually experiencing discomfort to start the season?

If you go back to the days following the Ducks western conference finals game 7 loss, you might remember the injury report surfacing stating that Getzlaf had been dealing with a sports hernia.

The injury did not require surgery, but Getzlaf’s slow start to the season brought along “reports” that claimed the hernia was still lingering and bothering the Ducks captain.

Here’s what you should do with those “reports”, crumple them up and throw them in the garbage. Better yet, un-crumple them and slide them through a shredder.

Ryan Getzlaf is back and so are the Anaheim Ducks.

Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks /

Anaheim Ducks

Pat Maroon was reunited with the twins on the Ducks top line and it worked out just as it had during the 2015 playoff run. Anaheim was cycling the puck better than ever and it led to an impressive possession performance.

In an interview following Getzlaf’s big 3 assist night against Columbus, he said “We played with the puck a lot more tonight. It felt like the old days.”

Nothing could have more accurately summed things up.

The Ducks now go for their fifth straight win tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Home ice has been kind to the Ducks this season and they hope to keep it that way with the strong play of the 2014 Hart Trophy runner-up, Ryan Getzlaf.