Ducks, with six-game streak, face Penguins
The Ducks became the fastest team ever to complete five third-period comebacks in a season on Sunday and tonight they'll square off with their opponents from their wildest clash yet, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
They beat the Penguins 4-3 in Pittsburgh on Oct. 30 off a Mason McTavish shorthanded goal during the dying gasps of the match as part of McTavish's three-point outing, which also included the tying tally. That performance was the highlight of a fivepoint week that led to his being named the NHL's third star.
It was also a game that saw the Ducks defend two five-on-three situations, one that ended up getting coach Greg Cronin tossed from the game and another that led to McTavish's improbable gamewinner. McTavish scored another tide-turner in a frenzied comeback against defending champion Vegas on Sunday, whom the Ducks beat 4-2. Between those big goals, he did everything but score when he created an odd-man rush, secured a zone entry and ultimately whipped a perfectly weighted pass to Troy Terry for an overtime tally against Arizona.
McTavish's teammate Alex Killorn said the 20-year-old center had the “clutch gene,” and Killorn would know about biggame DNA: he's played in four Stanley Cup Final series, and quaffed the bubbly from that glorious silver chalice twice in addition to winning the Calder Cup in the minors.
Killorn made his first appearance in a Ducks sweater Sunday, logging over 17 minutes across all situations. Although he is a recent arrival to the organization, he understood just how impactful the Ducks' streak and their start overall had been. After finishing with the lowest point total and worst defensive numbers in hockey last year, the Ducks started out the year looking much more competitive. Then, they started getting results to the tune of the longest active streak in the NHL (six games), including five final-frame rallies and victories over top teams like Vegas and the Boston Bruins, who set an all-time record for victories in a single season last year.
“It's been tough just talking to these guys and how it's been for the past couple of years, so to get off to a start like this, especially going down 1-4 to start the season, but the team was playing well,” Killorn said. “Where are we at? 7-4 now? That's pretty impressive with the strength of schedule we've had and the way that we've won games.”
Killorn, who essentially played for one coach (Jon Cooper) his entire career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, said first-year coach Greg Cronin had seized an opportunity to mold a group of young players seeking direction and veterans looking to wash the bitter taste of defeat from their mouths.
“He's done a great job, kind of starting to change that culture here,” Killorn said. “We practice really hard. At times, you can get tired of it, but you know when you're winning and things are going the right way, it's all worth it. He wants to play at a certain level and to do that we have to practice at a certain level. It's been showing results, so it's been great so far.”
Cronin was also complimentary of Killorn and his linemates, a 30-something trio that also included veterans Jakob Silfverberg and Adam Henrique, who scored a power-play goal Sunday. Cronin said that that third line provided a “template” for how the Ducks wanted to play after his other forwards meandered at times during the first period. Cronin said Killorn was “terrific” and that he provided the stabilizing presence from a seasoned winger who had risen to a leadership role with one of the East's top franchises.
“There's no panic to him. Just having him there was just really nice on the bench,” Cronin said. “In those critical moments in games, whether it's at the end of a period or they're coming down the walls, he just makes smart plays, he just knows. He plays playoff hockey every game.”
The Penguins have played plenty of games in the spring themselves, with three-time Stanley Cup champions and four-time finalists Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang comprising their core. Yet the Penguins will need to march more briskly if they want to reach the postseason in their first year under former Toronto GM Kyle Dubas. They are currently bringing up the rear of a competitive Metropolitan Division.
They're in last place despite a 10-goal onslaught against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Jake Guentzel and Reilly Smith, in his first year with the club, each poured in two goals and two assists. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, acquired from San Jose this past offseason, had his second straight multipoint effort and a plus-5 rating against his former franchise. But it may not be such an achievement to have put up double digits against San Jose: The Vancouver Canucks matched the feat in their 10-1 ravaging of San Jose in its previous game.