Ducks overflow with confidence
Game 7 victory shows this year’s team is different
After being eliminated from the playoffs for four consecutive years with a Game 7 loss at home, the Anaheim Ducks broke the spell of bad luck Wednesday by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in a home Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference finals against the Nashville Predators.
Their best-of-seven series starts Friday in Anaheim (9 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).
Here’s how the Ducks exorcised their postseason demons and enter the conference finals with confidence. 1. Impressive Duck forma
tion: Although the Ducks had the same number of regulation wins (46) this season that they had last season, they are an improved team. Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg and Shea Theodore are playing at a higher level, and the addition of Patrick Eaves has given them another veteran offensive contributor.
It’s more challenging to score in the postseason, but the Ducks are scoring more now (3.18 goals per game, compared with 2.68) than they were in the regular season. 2. Force of one: At 32, Ryan Getzlaf is having the most productive playoffs of his career. He has set a personal best with eight goals in 11 games. He had seven goals in 21 games when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
He has owned the ice in these playoffs. In Game 4 against the Oilers, Getzlaf reminded Edmonton fans of Mark Messier when he scored two goals and assisted on two others to lead Anaheim to a 4-3 overtime win.
Getzlaf seems re-energized, hyperfocused and overflowing with optimism. 3. Listening to new voice: Why some coaches fit well with some teams is one of sports’ greatest mysteries. Randy Carlyle’s message is connecting with the Ducks.
They seem more engaged and less nervous. Bruce Boudreau was a quality coach, but the psychology of losing all those Game 7s had to wear on players.
Carlyle is a tough, old school coach. But if you listen to him, it’s
clear he has evolved in his philosophy. He has adjusted his style to fit the way the game is played today — with more pace and quick breakouts.
He also had the ability to say aloud: I wasn’t here when all of those Game 7s were lost. I was here when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup championship (in 2007). 4. Won the game that mat
tered: It’s still uncertain whether John Gibson is going to be an elite goalie. His .908 save percentage in this playoff run is below average. Playoff goalies want to be in the .925 or better range.
Gibson was pulled in Game 6 in the Oilers series, but he rebounded to stop 23 of 24 shots (.958 save percentage) to win Game 7.
That’s the goalie the Ducks believe he can be. He’s 23, and we don’t expect goalies to be fully developed until they are 25 or older.
5. The monster: Nobody in this league can play the shutdown center position better than Ryan Kesler. He’s as prickly as a cactus, and he’s a physical force. Plus, he can play the game at a high level. He can skate, shoot and score.
He’s a unique weapon. Not many teams have a defensive forward with that many tools.