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KELOWNA – Anaheim Ducks first-line winger Patrick Eaves left Prospera Place, home of Jason Smith’s WHL junior Rockets, Monday afternoon with a walking boot on his right foot after stopping a shot in game three Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Not exactly the 33rd birthday present he was looking for.

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“Day-to-day with a lower-body injury,” said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. “We’ll need another evaluation 24 hours away to see if he skates at practice (Tuesday).”

Could be broken, could be a bad bruise, could be ligaments.

“The play (shot) happened in the neutral ice.”

Indeed, Eaves fell to his knees and hobbled to the bench. He broke a bone in the same foot in 2014 when he was playing for the Stars. Nobody fesses up at playoff time but Eaves, who had 11 goals in 20 games after the late February trade with Dallas to finish with a career high 32 goals, was clearly the best trade-deadline pickup. He has four playoff points in seven games. If the Ducks get to the Western Conference final and he plays at least 50 per cent of their games in the first two playoff rounds the second round draft they gave Dallas becomes a first-rounder.