A few points of interest from yesterday night’s preseason opener:
– Troy Bodie is making a serious bid to make the team as he was one of the better players on the ice last night. Bodie wasn’t just a one-dimensional threat, either, as he flashed some offensive ability in the first period before putting a beat-down on Daniel Winnik in the second.
Bodie one-timed a puck off the post early in the first period and almost set up Evgeny Artyukhin for a slam-dunk goal in the second. Then, as if he were bored with the offense, he decided to grab Winnik and pummel him to the ground for a well-deserved five minute rest in the penalty box. Unfortunately there is no video to post of the fight, but look for me to post links to worthy videos throughout the regular season.
– Sheldon Brookbank was not the calm, steady player we saw play 29 games last season. Brookbank lost a fight that he initiated against Ryan Hollweg before giving up the tying goal late in the third period after being pick-pocketed by Chad Kolarik. Wednesday’s game will not help him in his bid to make the big club this season with the fierce competition.
– Brian Salcido did not impress coach Randy Carlyle, but he didn’t make any glaring mistakes either. Carlyle was quoted as saying “Brian Salcido is a top offensive defenseman in the American Hockey League, and I guess this is his fourth year pro now, so it’s time to test the water a little bit deeper, and a little bit hotter, and see how he plays. We’d like to utilize a player to his strengths, and his strength is moving the puck and playing in offensive situations. I thought he did OK. I thought he did well.” Not exactly a glowing evaluation from the guy that will decide if he’ll play in the big leagues this year.
– Several Ducks players that were not in the lineup on Wednesday were working at various locations throughout Honda Center. Cory Perry was in the Fan zone selling Kids Club kits during the first intermission, Brett Festerling was selling Oggi’s Pizza, Andrew Ebbett was making sales in the Team Store, and George Parros was selling tickets at the box office.
Tonight’s players include Jonas Hiller and Erik Christensen selling pizza at Oggi’s, Petteri Nokelainen at the Team Store, and Joffery Lupul at the Box Office.