Orange County Register

Finding a positive development with the Ducks is taking a deeper search these days but here’s one that Coach Randy Carlyle offered up following today’s morning skate ahead of the game against Toronto.

This is the time for Brendan Mikkelson to make his argument for an everyday spot in the lineup.

Mikkelson has played the last two games on defense alongside Scott Niedermayer and is averaging 17 1/ 2 minutes of ice time since being recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

“He’s continued to show development and we’ve been able to trust him,” Carlyle said. ”If there’s one bright spot on our back end with our grouping back there, [it's that] Brendan Mikkelson has developed now into what we think is an everyday NHL player. And that’s critical.”

Carlyle said when Mikkelson was sent down at the end of the training camp, it was more that he was caught in a numbers game as the Ducks already had six defensemen on one-way contracts.

“We knew we’d have to find a way to get him back,” Carlyle said. “This was our first opportunity.”

As expected, Justin Pogge was called back up from Bakersfield for the second time in six days and his presence had members of the visiting Toronto media fervently asking for the thoughts from a young goalie with one NHL win to his credit.

Defenseman Steve Eminger looked on in astonishment, saying “that’s what happens when you play in Toronto.”

“I haven’t had this many cameras in front of me all year,” Pogge cracked.

The one-time “goaltender of the future” for the Maple Leafs is here to backup Jonas Hiller as Jean-Sebastien Giguere is day-to-day because of a groin-muscle injury he aggravated Saturday night when he gave up the winning goal against Columbus.

Pogge figures to be in Anaheim longer than his last visit, when he spent a few hours last week before returning to Bakersfield once it was clear that Giguere could suit up and be available against Dallas.

The 23-year-old Pogge said all the right things, that he was happy to be given a shot in Toronto and that he thought it just didn’t work out. He credited Leafs general manager Brian Burke with moving him to a place where he believed he would get more of an opportunity under less pressure.

“Burkie was really good about it,” Pogge said. ”He brought me to a place where I knew I had a chance. I’m happy to be here. That’s pretty honorable of him.”

As for the lineup tonight against the Leafs, there aren’t many changes other than Hiller will start in goal to the disappointment of Toronto-based reporters.

Here’s the expected line combinations and defense pairings:

Joffrey Lupul-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry

Bobby Ryan-Saku Koivu-Teemu Selanne

Matt Beleskey-Todd Marchant-Petteri Nokelainen

Mike Brown-Erik Christensen-George Parros

Scott Niedermayer-Brendan Mikkelson

Ryan Whitney-James Wisniewski

Nick Boynton-Steve Eminger or Sheldon Brookbank

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