Preview: Getzlaf Leads Ducks for One Final Time on Fan Appreciation Night

In what figures to be an unforgettable night at Honda Center, the Ducks return home to host the St. Louis Blues on Fan Appreciation Night and to honor captain Ryan Getzlaf, who will play his final NHL game tonight in front of the Ducks faithful.
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The night will feature celebrations of Getzlaf's incredible 17-year NHL career, from which he will retire as Anaheim's all-time leading scorer in both the regular season and playoffs as well its record holder in games played and assists. Fans are encouraged to be in their seat by 5:15, for a pregame ceremony involving Getzlaf and his family, and to remain seated beyond the final horn for a special address by the man of the hour.
Throughout the evening, special messages to Getzlaf from Ducks alumni, fans and notable league personnel will be shown.
READ: More on Getzlaf's final game
READ: Fan Appreciation Night at Honda Center
READ: Ducks Family Shares Memories of Getzlaf
Fans can also leave written and recorded "Thank You" messages for Getzlaf in the Puck Drop Patio. Video messages are entered to win a Getzlaf game-worn jersey.

The Ducks will take the ice for warm-ups donning the captain's #15 jerseys, which will be auctioned for the Anaheim Ducks Foundation.
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On the ice, the Ducks will look to bounce back after the club's second straight loss to the rival Kings last night at Crypto.com Arena. Trevor Zegras set a new Ducks rookie single-season scoring record in Getzlaf's Final Freeway Face-Off, but a third period go-ahead goal by veteran defenseman Alexander Edler stood as the difference in a critical win for the Kings in the Pacific Division standings.

Zegras passed Bobby Ryan for the club's rookie scoring mark with a second-period power-play goal, taking a vintage Getzlaf cross-seam pass and beating Kings netminder Jonathan Quick with a wrist shot over the glove. Zegras has eight points in his last eight games (4-4=8) and ranks third among NHL rookies in scoring (58 points).

St. Louis (48-20-11, 107 points) already knows it will face Minnesota in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with both teams now battling for home-ice advantage. The Blues have closed the standings gap with a team-record 15-game point streak and are now even with the Wild in points while Minnesota holds one game in hand.
The Blues escaped Arizona last night with a 5-4 overtime victory after giving away 3-0 and 4-1 leads to the Western Conference's last-place team, grabbing the extra standings point on Justin Faulk's game-winning goal.
"Ideally, it doesn't come to that situation,"
Faulk told reporters postgame
. "I'm not too pleased with our third period to be honest with you. A three-goal lead, sometimes the team leading gets a little loose, and it's easy for the team that's down to play."
Anaheim will aim for a season-sweep of St. Louis tonight after earning a
4-1 win over the Blues in November
at Honda Center and a
3-2 OT triumph
a month later at Enterprise Center. All-Star winger Troy Terry leads the season-series in scoring with three goals, including an overtime-clinching penalty shot, in two games.