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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Although the Anaheim Ducks are running short on chances to prove theyre more than just a regular-season power, they didnt seem daunted before they headed out on a 30-mile road trip that could define their year. After the best regular season in franchise history, the Ducks have lost four of their past six playoff games heading into a critical Game 3 at Los Angeles on Thursday night. Its barely a slump, and it includes a near-victory that got away with 7 seconds left in regulation in the second-round opener. Yet the Ducks realize what hangs on their latest trip to Staples Center, and theyre comfortable with the risk. "The belief and the confidence in this group is pretty high," Anaheim defenceman Cam Fowler said. "We know that a lot of people are counting us out right now, but that only fuels us." During their best stretches of that remarkable regular season, the Ducks were a dominant offensive team, finishing second in the NHL with 266 goals. With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry leading the way, Anaheim got consistent scoring from all four lines and methodically broke down almost any defensive team -- including the Kings, who beat the Ducks just once in five tries during the regular season. In the playoffs, Anaheim has managed just three goals against Jonathan Quick in two home losses. The Kings puck-possession style and mistake-free play in their own end are remarkable at times, and even the Ducks appreciated it while spending the past two days figuring out ways to counter it. "They certainly know how to win," Fowler said. "Their style translates well to playoff hockey. Very structured, no mistakes, and make the other team beat you. "Theyve done it before, and when Quick starts playing like he is now, thats when they become a hard team to beat. Theyre certainly peaking at the right time, and we know what were up against, but we have a belief in our group that we can do it." The Ducks have made some unique travel arrangements for the nominal road portion of this series. After Wednesdays practice, they took a bus to a hotel across the street from Staples Center. Theyre staying downtown until Game 4 on Saturday, but theyll also take the bus back to Anaheim for practice on Friday. With just three goals in more than six playoff periods against the Kings, Anaheim might attempt to boost its offence by putting Kyle Palmieri back into the lineup. The goal-scoring wing, a healthy scratch in the Ducks past four games, skated alongside Nick Bonino and Devante Smith-Pelly at practice Wednesday. Palmieri scored a career-best 14 goals in the regular season, and he had five points in last seasons first-round series loss to Detroit. The Kings are up 2-0 in a playoff series for the sixth time in the past three seasons, reaching that mark as the road team an incredible five times. They led all four series 3-0 despite opening on the road each time during their 2012 rampage through the post-season to their first Stanley Cup title. The Kings also were down 0-3 in the first round last month against San Jose, which means they realize theyre only nominally in control of this series. "A 2-0 lead is great, but its not four. We know that better than anybody," Kings centre Jarret Stoll said. "Theyve outchanced us. Theyve beaten us in a lot of areas we need to be better at." The Kings are likely to be without injured defencemen Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr again in Game 3, but Matt Greene and Jeff Schultz have filled in splendidly so far. Even with Quick on top of his game, the Ducks are confident they can get back in the series by getting more pucks past him. They hope to have the support of travelling Anaheim fans after the Kings had a boisterous cheering section at Honda Center, too. "We played pretty well in the first two games, and we remind ourselves of that," Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller said. "I dont think many things need to change. We just need to keep our confidence." Hockey Jerseys Black Friday . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training. Fake Hockey Jerseys .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/. -- Theres nothing like winning to bring hope for a struggling team. Authentic Hockey Jerseys . Terrance Broadway threw for 227 yards and Hunter Stover kicked three field goals as the Ragin Cajuns won an unprecedented fourth straight New Orleans Bowl with a 16-3 triumph over Nevada. Cheap Hockey Jerseys . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout.CHICAGO -- Fans cheered just about every time Derrick Rose touched the ball. They showered him with "MVP! MVP!" chants. In many ways, it seemed like hed never been gone. Rose scored 22 points in his long-awaited return to the United Center court to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 96-81 preseason victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. The way Rose was dominating, it was hard to believe nearly 18 months had passed since he suited up for a game in this arena. The explosiveness was back after he spent last season recovering from knee surgery, and when he wasnt finishing drives, the former MVP was hitting his free throws. As for any emotions? Rose downplayed them. "Not at all," he said. "I think Im past that, jitters and everything. For me, its just going out there and trying to compete and try to do better as a teammate and as a leader." He got a thunderous ovation during the pregame introductions and proceeded to put on a show, scoring 18 in the first half. He had the crowd chanting "MVP! MVP!" at the end of the second quarter after he froze Peyton Siva with a wicked crossover and flipped the ball in off the glass over Andre Drummond as he crashed to the floor. Rose buried the free throw to complete the three-point play. Rose hit 6 of 9 shots and was 9 for 10 on free throws over 22 minutes after missing the previous game against Washington in Rio de Janeiro because of soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. "He didnt look like he lost a step to me," Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said. "He was as quick as hes ever been." Carlos Boozer added 10 points and 11 rebounds. Joakim Noah had two points and eight rebounds after missing the first three preseason games because of a strained right groin. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led Detroit with 18 points, but this night was all about Rose. "We are starting to see him find his rhythm," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "The moves, the explosion, the power, the change in directionns .dddddddddddd.. thats been there all along. Now, he has better balance and (is) playing in rhythm." Rose hadnt played at the United Center since April 28, 2012, when the Bulls worst nightmare unfolded near the end of a playoff-opening victory over Philadelphia. There was Rose coming to a jump stop and crumbling to the floor with about 1:20 left in a game that was out of reach, a torn anterior cruciate ligament ending his season and sending top-seeded Chicago to a first-round exit. His recovery became a running soap opera last season, and it only escalated after he returned to practice in midseason. Should he return? Should he sit out the season? Rose and the Bulls never publicly ruled out a return, so the debate raged on. His image took a hit in some corners as the Bulls clawed their way through injuries and illnesses on the way to 45 wins and a second-round playoff exit. None of that seemed to matter on Wednesday. When the PA announcer bellowed before the game, "From Chicago! No. 1, Derrick Rose!" a deafening roar echoed through the arena. There was a loud cheer when Rose caught an outlet pass from Boozer after a miss by Detroits Drummond on the games first shot, and they were screaming again moments later when Rose scored off a feed from Noah. He added a neat layup, pumping in midair and drawing a few "oohs" and "ahs" from the crowd," and scored eight points before heading to the sideline with 3:59 left in the first quarter. It was a promising start punctuated by that brilliant move at the end of the half. It still remains to be seen how the knee will hold up once the season starts and how hell fare against stiffer competition, such as Miami in the opener. But the signs are good. "I was just trying to really be aggressive," Rose said when asked about the play at the end of the half. "Thats the way I normally play. (If thats a sign) for whats to come, I hope so. For me, I was just trying to do anything to get to the basket." ' ' '