The Anaheim Ducks had posted three of their six regulation losses in their last six contests going into Sunday's New Year's Eve clash with the Minnesota Wild. Not only did the Ducks drop their fourth game in seven starts to the Wild, they lost the services of star defenseman Chris Pronger to a broken left foot in their final game of 2006. Pronger, who leads all defensemen with 33 assists and 40 points, was injured blocking a shot by Wild forward Mark Parrish in a 4-3 loss. The Ducks also are playing without starting goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who is expected to return soon after suffering a groin strain early last week. Playing without Pronger for an extended time will be a key challenge for the Ducks, who lead the NHL with 62 points and have Stanley Cup aspirations. The veteran defenseman not only is an offensive contributor, but also the team leader in plus-minus at +21. That's the third-best mark among all NHL defenders. How the Ducks play without Pronger in the next eight days will be interesting, as they play three games against the two Western Conference clubs immediately behind them in points over this stretch. Anaheim faces Detroit twice (in Detroit Tuesday and at home on Jan. 7) as well as Nashville (in Nashville on Jan. 9). After the game in Nashville, the Ducks move on to Dallas to take on the Stars on Jan. 11. This stretch of games may say a lot about what fans can expect from the Ducks with Pronger on the sidelines. Pronger is on his way back to Anaheim to be examined by team doctors, who will determine how long he will be out.