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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Two days before Anaheim visits the Los Angeles Kings for their high-profile showcase under the stars, the Ducks showed theyre willing to get just as gritty as their rivals to grind out a win. Patrick Maroon scored the tiebreaking goal on a wraparound late in the second period, and the Ducks beat the Kings 2-1 on Thursday night in the prelude to the clubs landmark outdoor game this weekend. Frederik Andersen made 30 saves and Dustin Penner scored a power-play goal in the 20th victory in 23 games for the NHL-leading Ducks, who dialed down their high-octane offensive game and matched the Kings usual grit in a hard-hitting, bad-tempered meeting. Offence was scarce when the Southern California clubs warmed up for their visit to Dodger Stadium on Saturday, and the high-scoring Ducks didnt mind at all. "We can play any style," Ducks defenceman Ben Lovejoy said. "We can play with speed teams because we have that speed and skill, and we can match up with the big, physical teams like L.A. I dont think we beat them at their own game. I think we imposed the kind of game we wanted in the second and third." After a scoreless third period, Anaheim improved to 21-1-2 at Honda Center two days after its first home regulation loss. The Ducks are rolling into the first warm-weather outdoor game in NHL history with a five-point lead over Chicago in the overall standings and a 17-point margin over third-place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. A few minor skirmishes in the third period suggested tempers will run high in the rematch -- exactly the NHLs intention in scheduling back-to-back meetings. The Kings and Ducks will hold separate workouts Friday on the new rink in the middle of the historic baseball park. "Theres nothing we see out of them that we dont already know," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "Theyre a good, strong team that plays physical hockey ... but we can play that, too." Anze Kopitar scored early in the first period and Jonathan Quick stopped 19 shots for the Kings, who have lost four straight. Los Angeles hasnt won since officials in Detroit blew the call on an obviously illegal tying goal by Niklas Kronwall in an eventual shootout loss to the Red Wings last Saturday. "I think everybody in this room knows we can and weve got to play better," Kopitar said. "So the pressure is a little bit bigger, for sure, but were going to get through this together. ... In the third, it was more like us -- pressing, puck possession, spending time in their zone. But we came up short. Its something we have to learn from. We cant give up soft goals and easy goals." Just 3:13 into this meeting, Kopitar ended a personal 10-game goal drought when the Ducks left him alone near the net to bang home a cross-ice pass for his 14th goal. Kopitar is the only NHL player on Slovenias first Olympic hockey team, and he leads the Kings in scoring for the seventh consecutive season. Neither team mounted much offence in the first 30 minutes, but Penner hurt his former teammates by shoving home a rebound 10 seconds into another power play late in the second period. Penner scored 11 goals in parts of three seasons with the Kings before scoring 12 goals already this season for the Ducks, who re-signed him last summer. Maroon then put the Ducks ahead, forcing a bad pass by Willie Mitchell before getting the puck down low and wrapping it around for his fourth goal -- just his second since late October. "Weve got to try to take a few positives out of tonight and come back Saturday," Kings forward Trevor Lewis said. "We obviously need the points more than they do. After a loss like this, you always want to get right back after them, so its good that weve got them again in two days." Until Winnipegs 3-2 victory on Tuesday snapped the Ducks 22-game home points streak to open the season, Los Angeles was the last visiting team to win at Honda Center, taking a shootout victory Dec. 3. NOTES: The Ducks scratched forwards Daniel Winnik and Kyle Palmieri. Coach Bruce Boudreau also gave a day off to starting goalie Jonas Hiller, who acknowledged being distracted by the looming outdoor game in Tuesdays loss to Winnipeg. ... Los Angeles D Matt Greene missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Andersen leads the NHLs rookie goalies with 13 wins. Discount Nike Shoes . He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th. The 34-year-old Laval, Que. native has played six seasons with the Penguins. Cheap Nike Shoes China .com) - Will Conant booted a 39-yard field goal as time expired and Air Force played spoiler with a 27-24 win over 21st- ranked Colorado State on Friday. http://www.cheapnikeshoesdiscount.com/. Better still, its in the same team and there are 13 races left for it to develop. Wholesale Nike Shoes . Kadri was dressed in a green jersey at Thursdays practice and skated as an extra forward on the teams fourth line as the Leafs.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Toronto Blue Jays hit three home runs and R.A. Dickeys knuckleball was darting all over the place Tuesday night. "When were playing good, thats the kind of game that we play," said Jose Reyes, whose three-run homer broke a fourth-inning tie and sent Toronto past the Tampa Bay Rays 8-2. "Hopefully, we can play more games like we did tonight," he said. Dickey (11-12) gave up two hits in seven innings and the Blue Jays won their third straight as they try to stay in the AL wild-card race. "We hope we heat up," manager John Gibbons said. "August was a lean stretch for us, but thats over with now. We dont want to think about that." Danny Valencia also homered off Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (1-3). Pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro added a two-run shot off Cesar Ramos in the eighth. Jose Bautistas streak of homering in five straight games ended, but he had two singles and an RBI for Toronto. Dickey gave up two runs, struck out six and walked three. "From a movement standpoint, I had a really good knuckleball tonight, and it was tough to control it," said Dickey, who pitched at least six innings for the 13th time in 14 starts. "I hit a couple batters, balls were really tailing off late in the zone, which speaks to how many balls they put into play hard -- not many, which is good. Outside of that one inning, I felt like I was right on point," he said. The Rays got both of their hits and runs in the second. Yunel Escobar scored the second run on Kevin Kiermaiers sacrifice fly caught by Reyes, the shortstop, in short left field. Aaron Sanchez and Todd Reedmond each pitched an inning of hitless relief.dddddddddddd Reyes, who singled and scored in the third, had his 13th multiple-hit game in his last 29 games. Hellickson gave up five runs on eight hits in 3 1-3 innings, the shortest of his nine starts since coming back from January elbow surgery. "I think it was a matter of locating the ball to some spots that were better suited for the Blue Jays than us," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. A win on Wednesday or Thursday night would give the Blue Jays their first series victory at Tropicana Field since April 6-8, 2007. "I dont think anybodys throwing in the towel," Dickey said. "Who knows what a good September might do for us? If we can finish strong and worry about us, not other people, you never know what can happen." TRAINERS ROOM Blue Jays: INF Brett Lawrie (oblique) was transferred from the 15- to 60-day disabled list, which ends his regular season. ... RHP Brandon Morrow (finger) and 1B Dan Johnson (hamstring) were activated from the disabled list. ... LHP Brett Cecil was unavailable due to some minor stiffness. Rays: CF Desmond Jennings (sore left knee) was out of the lineup for the fifth straight game. UP NEXT Rays RHP Chris Archer (8-7) and Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (8-5) are Wednesday nights scheduled starters. Archer is coming off a loss to Boston Friday where he gave up a season-high eight runs in four innings. FIRST PITCH Former Blue Jays pitcher and one-time Rays bat boy Jesse Litsch threw the ceremonial first pitch. The St. Petersburg native, who announced his retirement last month, went 27-27 over parts of five seasons with Toronto. ' ' '