Ducks’ loss is Bucs’ gain

Following their ouster from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday night, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have assigned forwards Dustin Penner, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf to the AHL’s Portland Pirates.

Each is eligible to play for Portland in the Calder Cup Playoffs because each was on the Pirates’ roster on AHL Clear Day, March 13.

All are expected to rejoin the Pirates in time for Game 7 of the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals, to be played Tuesday night in Hershey.

Penner, 23, was a Second Team AHL All-Star in 2005-06, tallying 39 goals and 45 assists for 84 points in just 57 games for Portland while leading the league with a plus-41 rating. He began the 2006 postseason with the Pirates, recording five points in four games before being recalled to Anaheim during the first round.

Penner made his NHL debut with the Mighty Ducks this year, picking up four goals and three assists in 19 games and adding three goals and six assists (along with a plus-10 rating) in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

Perry, 21, erupted for 16 goals and 18 assists (34 points) in 19 games for Portland during the regular season, including a 17-game scoring streak. He had 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 56 games for Anaheim in 2005-06, as well as three assists in 11 playoff games.

Perry made his professional debut with Cincinnati during the 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs, registering a goal and an assist in three games. He led the Ontario Hockey League in goals (47), assists (83) and points (130) for the Memorial Cup champion London Knights in 2004-05.

Getzlaf, 21, registered eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points in 17 AHL games with Portland in 2005-06, and 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 57 games for the Mighty Ducks. Getzlaf chipped in seven points (3g, 4a) in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff matches.

Getzlaf made his professional debut during the 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs, recording one goal and four assists in 10 games for Cincinnati (AHL).

Perry (28th overall) and Getzlaf (19th overall) were both first-round draft picks by Anaheim in 2003, and were co-winners of the Rbk Hockey/AHL Rookie of the Month award for December.

Penner, Perry and Getzlaf were all selected to play in the 2006 Rbk Hockey/AHL All-Star Classic, but all missed the event due to NHL recall.

Portland has rallied from 0-2 and 1-3 down in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals to force Game 7 in Hershey. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, with the winner off to face the Milwaukee Admirals in the 2006 Calder Cup Finals beginning Friday night.