Ryan Getzlaf has been a winner throughout his hockey career.
He has a World Junior gold medal, two Olympic golds and a Stanley Cup ring, so you can understand why he’d be frustrated with Anaheim’s lack of winning this season.
The Ducks captain wasn’t pleased with his team’s overall effort after Friday’s 5-1 loss, on home ice, to the Carolina Hurricanes, and he let everyone know it after the game.
“I call it not being a pro,” said Getzlaf, per the OC Register. “We had four days off. We should have expected to come out and play one of our best games of the year and we didn’t. You have to be able to use those breaks and use them the right way and show up to play come game time. I didn’t think we did a very good job of that tonight.”
Down 3-0 in the second period, Getzlaf tried to spark his team by dropping the gloves with ‘Canes defenseman Ron Hainsey, but it was Hainsey who landed some of the better shots.
Getzlaf added: We’re out of a playoff spot right now. Every game should be a big game. We didn’t do a good job of getting emotionally involved in the game.”
He’s right.
Anaheim is currently seven points back of Minnesota for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, but they’re just two points behind San Jose for third place in the Pacific Division.
The 30-year-old’s frustration also stems from his lack of individual production. Getzlaf has just one goal and 18 points in 25 games this season.