Anaheim Mighty Ducks Hockey Team

Ted Purcell has been with the Kings for a little more than a week but there are some in the organization who believe they've unearthed a gem. Purcell has yet to score a goal in his four games with the parent club, but the University of Maine product led the American Hockey League in scoring with 53 points before his call-up from the Kings' affiliate in Manchester, N.H. "He's a good player," Kings Coach Marc Crawford said.

ATLANTA -- Until this weekend, Kings forward Anze Kopitar thought of Ducks forwards Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf as enemies. After sitting beside them in the West All-Stars' locker room this weekend, Kopitar gained a new appreciation for his rivals. "We actually became good friends," he said Sunday. "It doesn't really matter if we're Kings and Ducks. They're good guys off the ice. On the ice that's the job and we kind of have to maybe hate each other, but now we can respect each other."

Music wasn't blaring in the dressing room and the playful banter was nonexistent. Smiles were few and far between. A practice session ahead of a travel day for the Ducks is usually short and to the point. But Tuesday's session went a full 75 minutes with Coach Randy Carlyle poring over detail after detail.

There is no need to find space in the Honda Center rafters to put up another Pacific Division champions banner for the Ducks. The San Jose Sharks will happily address that in their own arena. The late-season surge by the Sharks continued Friday night, and it has culminated in their first division title since 2004. Jeremy Roenick and Curtis Brown ended a second-period tie with goals in a 3-1 victory over the Ducks. And so the Ducks' yearlong reign as division champions ended.

vs. Phoenix, 5 p.m., FSN Prime Site -- Honda Center. Radio -- 830. Records -- Ducks (0-1), Coyotes (1-0). Record vs. Phoenix (2007-08) -- 3-1-4. Update -- Phoenix acquired Finnish center Olli Jokinen in an off-season trade with Florida and he paid dividends in the season opener Saturday night, producing a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. The Coyotes are also expecting big things from second-year forward Peter Mueller, who also scored against Columbus.

From a personnel standpoint for a power play, it's hard to beat who the Ducks put on the ice. Execution is a different matter, and the presence of sharpshooters Chris Pronger and Teemu Selanne and playmakers Scott Niedermayer and Andy McDonald currently isn't putting a chill in the opposition. The combination of a dormant power play and the stellar goaltending of Dallas rookie Mike Smith resulted in a 1-0 victory for the Stars on Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Center.

There will come a day this season when the Kings' Anze Kopitar resembles a rookie. Maybe. That has yet to happen through 62 games, as the 19-year-old continues to impress teammates and opponents. "It's pretty to watch," the Ducks' Teemu Selanne said. "If someone told me to go play [in the NHL] when I was 19, I would have said, 'No way.' He plays like a 10 years veteran. It's great to see. He is a good example for all the young players too."

As the clock ticks down on today's NHL trade deadline, the Ducks have come up empty thus far in their quest to boost their lineup for a potential Stanley Cup playoff run. But in an important Pacific Division game Monday night against one of their challengers, the Ducks showed that what they have might be enough.

Everything about Monday night's game between the Ducks and the Detroit Red Wings seemed to be a test run for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Even the Red Wings, who are no stranger to postseason buildup, started their preparation by handing out white rally towels to the 20,066 fans that filled Joe Louis Arena.

San Jose Coach Ron Wilson did everything he could Wednesday night to give the Sharks a chance to steal the Pacific Division title from the team he once led. The Ducks had an apparent power play for the start of overtime that Teemu Selanne created with his stickhandling. But it was Selanne's stick that Wilson paid close attention to and the coach nabbed his former player in the act. Selanne was called for using an illegal stick, which nullified the four-on-three advantage.