Orange County Register

The Ducks know what it’s like to grind through a season as the defending Stanley Cup champions.

After they won the Cup in 2007, they found out firsthand that opponents use them as a measuring stick and put a bigger target on their backs.

So do the Ducks place extra meaning on their matchup with defending champion Pittsburgh tonight?

Given their disappointing start, center Ryan Getzlaf brushed off the notion.

“We’re at a point in our year where we need to get excited every night,” Getzlaf said. “These last two games we’ve taken a lot of steps forward with the way we want to play. We’ll continue that (tonight).”

In a game rife with storylines, the Ducks might fall back to the hockey cliché that your best players have to be your best players.

That would involve the top line of Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan continuing to re-establish their cycle game.

“That’s something we talked about,” Getzlaf said. “That’s part of controlling the game and controlling the puck. I think if our line can get in and do that stuff, it sends a pretty good message.”

After rotating Ryan between the first and second lines, Coach Randy Carlyle has kept him with Getzlaf and Perry the past two games and seen modest progress.

“I think the biggest difference the last two games is Getzlaf moving his feet,” Carlyle said. “He’s had the puck a lot more. He’s been a guy that’s been around the puck a lot more. I think he’s playing to a much higher level than he previously was.”

Getzlaf could face off against Pittsburgh star center Sidney Crosby, his future teammate in February’s Olympics.

Former Ducks forward Dan Bylsma will come to Anaheim for the first time since he was named Pittsburgh coach.

The game will also showcase the top two picks in the 2005 draft with Crosby and Ryan.

And Pittsburgh winger Chris Kunitz (above, third from left) and Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney will play against their former teams for the first time since they were traded for each other in February.

Whitney said it will be “pretty weird” playing Pittsburgh. He watched his old team win the Cup in June, so he can’t help be aware of who is coming into the building.

“It means they’re a good team,” Whitney said.

“Pretty much that’s how it works. For us, especially, we’ve got to get some wins here. Playing against a team that’s had a great start and won the Cup, it’s going to be a big test.”

Related stories:

•Bylsma crafted his own fate

•Kunitz comes back to Anaheim a champion

•No Stanley Cup hangover for Penguins

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