Road may provide better test

The Ducks’ first road game this season was a quick trip to Phoenix. Their other road game involved a bus ride up the freeway to Staples Center.

As one of only two NHL teams without a regulation loss, the Ducks will live out of a suitcase as they begin their first trip tonight against the hot Minnesota Wild before stops in Chicago and St. Louis. The Ducks had early road struggles last season.

“So far, we’ve played well at home,” defenseman Sean O’Donnell said. “But the mark of a good team is going on the road and getting it done there.”

The Ducks used such team-bonding events as a bicycle ride last season, but Coach Randy Carlyle said there’s little time for that on this trip.

“It’s three games in four nights,” he said. “The bonding usually comes on those seven- or eight-day [trips] where you have a day off in between.”

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The Ducks have had success so far despite not having a player among the NHL’s top 50 scorers. Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald, the Ducks’ top scorers last season, have only 12 points between them -- three fewer than league-leading Marian Hossa of Atlanta. Instead, they are getting it done with balance -- all four lines are contributing. Case in point: Checking center Samuel Pahlsson has six points in nine games after totaling 21 last season.

TONIGHT

at Minnesota, 5 PDT

Site -- Xcel Energy Center.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Ducks 7-0-2; Wild 8-1-0.

Record vs. Wild -- 1-0-0.

Update -- The Ducks last week dealt Minnesota its only loss, a 2-1 decision. Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere is among the league leaders in wins (six), goals-against average (1.81) and save percentage (.940).

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