Wait Is Finally Over for Date With Devils

The Mighty Ducks couldn’t be blamed for circling Nov. 26 on their calendars.

The defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils will face the Ducks for the first time since they defeated Anaheim in Game 7 of last season’s finals.

“What they have is a blueprint, and they do it time and time again, and year after year,” Coach Mike Babcock said about the Devils, who will be playing their second game in as many nights after defeating the Kings on Tuesday. “They haven’t changed their core. Look at their team with [Scott] Stevens and [Scott] Niedermayer and even with [Colin] White and [Brian] Ralfaski, they just keep them forever....

“They’re a hard-working team that has everyone make a contribution. They stick with it when things go good and bad.”

With the Ducks in second place in the Pacific Division behind the Kings, Babcock did not try to hide the fact that some of his players are excited about playing the Devils again.

“It’s got to be a big event in their life, there’s no question about it,” Babcock said. “Some games are a little more special than others.”

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Heading into tonight’s game, the Ducks’ penalty-killing unit ranks among the worst in the NHL. In 21 games, the Ducks have played short-handed 87 times and have given up 16 power-play goals for an 81.6% success rate.

That’s a sharp contrast to the Devils, who shut out the Kings on Tuesday and have given up only seven power-play goals in 70 short-handed situations (90%).

But the Ducks’ penalty killing is expected to get a boost tonight when second-year defenseman Kurt Sauer returns to the lineup.

Sauer, who has sat out six games because of an ankle injury, practiced for the third consecutive day Tuesday and said he’s ready to return. If he plays tonight, his steady presence should help the Ducks’ shaky penalty-killing unit.

“Kurt is available to play,” Babcock said. “We think that he’ll really help our penalty kill, and we think that our penalty kill needs help. He was [part] of the backbone and foundation of the team last year, and right now, it hasn’t been there.”

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TONIGHT

vs. New Jersey, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- XTRA (690, 1150).

Records -- Ducks 7-7-2-5, Devils 12-3-4-0.

Record vs. Devils -- 0-0.

Update -- Samuel Pahlsson and Vaclav Prospal each have played in every game this season for the Ducks, and both have zero plus/minus ratings. Every other Anaheim forward that has played more than eight games has a negative rating.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.