Perry expected back for Chicago series
Both goalies, past healthy scratches and several coaches peppered the Honda Center ice Thursday as the Ducks began a near two-hour practice.
Everybody was there except Corey Perry.
The NHL’s postseason points leader (15) was absent from his second practice since suffering a second-period right-leg injury Sunday from a mid-ice collision with Calgary’s Matt Stajan. Perry has scored seven playoff goals, including the Game 5 series clincher in overtime Sunday.
Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau confirmed that Perry is expected to practice Friday and play Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks at Honda Center.
“We have six days off, there’s no sense rushing him, I’m pretty sure he’ll be back on the ice” Friday, Boudreau said. “I have no indication” that Perry will not be able to play.
After getting hurt Sunday, Perry crawled and scrambled to the dressing room with help before returning a few minutes later and ultimately scoring the game-winning goal.
Boudreau described Perry as “no worse for wear” while giving him a rest day from Tuesday’s practice. On Thursday, Perry rode a stationary bicycle as part of office conditioning and left the arena without speaking to reporters.
Filling Perry’s spot on the first line with Patrick Maroon and center Ryan Getzlaf was forward Tomas Fleischmann, who has played in four of the nine playoff games and has one assist.
“I’ve got a red jersey on; I just tried to work hard in my practice,” Fleischmann said of his first-line assignment. “It’s still too early [to know Game 1 assignments]. Coach knows. I’m just working.” Prospect signed
The Ducks said they signed left wing Ondrej Kase, last year’s seventh-round pick from the Czech Republic, to a three-year entry-level contract.
Kase, 19, played in the Czech-2 league, scoring six goals and 11 points in the postseason to help his Chomutov team win a league championship this spring. He had seven goals and 21 points with a plus-16 rating in 37 regularseason games.