Ducks grind down Hawks, take 2-1 lead
CHICAGO — At home, the Anaheim Ducks were quite capable of putting on a show in the opening two games of the Western Conference final.
On the road, in one of the more difficult buildings in the NHL, they were all about business on Thursday night. The Ducks took that business seriously at an abnormally quiet United Center, grinding out a 2-1 victory over the Blackhawks to once again seize the edge in the best-ofseven series they now lead 2-1.
If you watched the Ducks in the regular season, you knew they were efficient wherever they played, piling up a Western Conference best 25-12-4 road record (plus a 4-1 mark so far these playoffs), many of those wins coming in difficult venues. How do they do it and why? Because when they clamp down, they are as efficient on defence as they are on offence.
“We’re accustomed to playing and being successful on the road,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said.
“You go, you do your job and that’s the way we’ve been. It’s hard to put a finger on why you’ve been so successful on the road.
Simon Despres’ one time blast in the final minute of the second period stood up as the game winner after the Hawks just missed a couple of shots to tie it up in the final minute with goaltender Corey Crawford out for an extra attacker.
In the latest road triumph, the Ducks were successful because they played a more grinding, controlled game, clamping down on the Hawks’ scoring opportunities. Yes, it’s only one game, but the Blackhawks looked the wearier of the two, in part because in the playoffs size and the ability to use it matters.