BY MATT VEVODA F
or many of the Anaheim Ducks veterans, getting back into the postseason after miss- ing out last year was a long time coming. But a one-year playoff drought is nothing
for Lubomir Visnovsky. After beginning his career with back-to-back postseason appearances with the L.A.
Kings in 2001 and 2002, the 34-year-old Slovak has gone nine years (with the Kings and Oilers) without extending his season into the playoffs. This season, the Ducks made a tri- umphant return to the 16-team fight for the Stanley Cup, and Visnovsky is a major rea- son why. He compiled the most points in the NHL by a defenseman with 68 (also a new career high) and set a new single-season record for a Ducks defenseman with 18 goals. “After 11 years in the
NHL, I don’t have too many experiences with the playoffs,” Visnovsky says. “You never know, this is hockey. Only one team wins the Stanley Cup. It’s not easy. I play all season for this moment. I’m very excited.” There were times it
seemed even this cam- paign would end too early for Visnovsky. On March 4, the Ducks were in 11th place in a
crowded
“After 11 years in the NHL, I don’t have too many experiences with the playoffs. You never know, this is hockey. Only one team wins the Stanley Cup. It’s not easy. I play all season for this moment. I’m very excited.”
Western Conference play- off race. That night would end in memorable fashion for both the team and the guy they call Lubo. Down 3-1 in the third
period at Honda Center to Pacific Division foe Dallas, Visnovsky helped lead Anaheim to a stunning 4-3
comeback victory by ripping home the game-winner with 3.8 seconds left in overtime. That tally was his third goal of the night, completing the first hat trick ever for a Ducks defenseman. “He is so special,” Teemu Selanne says. “He has no weaknesses really. He can shoot
the puck so well and can see the game. He’s the full package. It’s great to see him having success.”
26 Ducks Digest
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64