Anaheim Ducks Hockey Team

Chris Pronger was 16 seconds away from enjoying a Flyers victory on his 35th birthday in his first game against the Ducks since they traded him in June. Teemu Selanne spoiled it all for his former teammate. Selanne's second goal of the game tied the score in regulation, and he had the only goal in a shootout to lift the Ducks to a 3-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. "He comes in so fast on the goalie and changes the angle so quickly that it's hard for the goalie to react," Pronger said.

Adopting a budding trend in the NHL and taking it a step further, the Ducks on Monday froze all ticket prices for next season at current levels and froze food, beverage and parking prices at the Honda Center. The Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild were in the forefront of freezing season-ticket prices for 2009-10, reflecting concern about the sour economy, with the Hurricanes locking in season-ticket holders' prices for three seasons.

Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle had a blunt message for Corey Perry on Saturday as the right wing prepared to return from a four-game suspension. It was so blunt that we can't quote him here. Suffice it to say he urged Perry to increase his intensity during a tough practice that left many players gasping. "I said it more than once to him," Carlyle said. "And he's going to hear it again [today]. Move his feet, move his legs, get going."

There are times when he threads a perfect pass up ice or bulldozes a defender in the offensive zone. And there are times when he looks out of place or can't keep up with the speedsters who zoom by him. It's all part of the education of the Ducks' Bobby Ryan.

Before they renew acquaintances tonight in Phoenix with their affable and eccentric former teammate Ilya Bryzgalov, the Ducks were happy to show the reason why they were willing to make the popular backup goalie expendable in November. Looking more comfortable as he gets used to the NHL game, Jonas Hiller stepped in for an ill Jean-Sebastien Giguere on Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks and led the Ducks to a 2-1 win at the Honda Center.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Much like their spirited challenge for the net as teammates the last two seasons, the Ducks' Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Phoenix's Ilya Bryzgalov brought the best out of each other Saturday night. Perhaps this game should have been played four years ago when the NHL was content with allowing games to end in a tie. Both were that sharp from the first puck drop.

The Ducks remain very interested in bringing Teemu Selanne back into the fold provided that the superstar forward is serious about returning to hockey. Selanne has begun a skating program at Anaheim Ice to determine whether he is mentally up to playing again as he kept open that possibility by not filing retirement paperwork with the NHL. The 37-year-old winger and 10-time All-Star, who has 540 goals, has reportedly said that he would make a decision this month.

About two-thirds of the way into the second period, the red light inadvertently went on behind the Nashville net as the Ducks were applying pressure in the Predators' zone. Perhaps the goal judge had an itchy trigger finger. It was easy to assume another puck would find the net as a result of the Ducks' offensive onslaught. Four goals in an 8:07 span took care of the Predators on Monday night as the Ducks finally escaped a sea of tight games with a 5-2 victory at the Honda Center.

Teemu Selanne said the only reason he has not retired is because he believes the Ducks have the pieces in place to win a second consecutive Stanley Cup and is trying to decide if he wants to be part of that. "Every time I come to the games, I get really excited," he said before attending Monday night's home game against Nashville. "But when I go home, it's with mixed feelings."

The hockey world took notice of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, but the true recognition of whether they've arrived as stars might come Thursday. It is when the NHL will announce the rest of the lineup that will represent the Western Conference in the league's All-Star game, which is Jan. 27 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The starters were announced Tuesday.