Man, the Ducks are kicking ass!
No offense to Ducks fans, but the team looked a little weaker throughout the second half of the season, in the first half, they were unstoppable...now, they look like that first half team.
After a 2-1 victory in Minnesota yesterday, the Ducks hold nearly an insurmountable lead over the Wild, with a margin of 3 games to none.
Again, it was one of those low-scoring nail-bitting games, Niklas Backstrom did his best to keep Minnesota in it, but it was reason that prevailed in the end.
Backstrom has been phenomenal from the start, his 2.37 GAA and .910 SPCT are the kind of numbers that should propel any team to victory.
But sadly enough, for my hockey pool and for Wild fans, not this time.
I fail to understand why Jacques Lemaire doesn't enforce a more offensive style, just a LITTLE more offensive, especially if he expects his team to go far.
And, I fail to understand why guys like Brian Rolston, Todd White, Kim Johnsson and Mark Parrish haven't amassed a single point.
How do you expect to win if your secondary scoring, and one of your primary (Rolston) don't put up anything.
There is SO much talent on this team, SO much...I would like to see what Minnesota would look like as a team if they played a more offensive-minded style, rather than defensive minded...
The Ducks are the better team, and I failed to see that when I chose Minnesota to beat them in 7 games in my local hockey pool, and because of that, have likely lost that.
Anyway, I'd like to congratulate the Wild too, for managing to stage only one-goal losses, and not 3 or 4 goal crushings like some have predicted.
The Ducks stayed with the Wild's defensive style, and even played along with it, but, in the end, it came down to the solid goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov, who, after a somewhat questionable season, has rebounded in fine fashion with numbers nearly identical to last year's magical playoff run, with a 1.34 GAA and .948 SPCT, that's 4 goals in 3 games.
It's also kind of sad to see Jean-Sebastien Giguere's awesome season sit on the bench.
Hey, the series isn't over yet, but with a 3-0 Anaheim lead, you can say it is indeed over...
I'll have my eye on the Nashville-San Jose game tonight, it should be great again!
Meanwhile, in more sad news...
According to RDS, Gaetan Duchesne, who played over 1,000 NHL games, has died.
Duchesne reportedly suffered cardiac arrest while working out.
He was 44 years old.
He totalled 179 goals and 254 assists in 1,028 games with 5 different teams.
May he rest in peace.
His son, Jeremy, is actually a goalie for Val D'Or in the QMJHL and was drafted by Philly.
6 fanatics have replied:
No offence to Ducks fans, but the team looked a little weaker throughout the second half of the season
None taken, and for sure that observation is fairly accurate. I guess my take on it though was injuries took a lot out of the second half, particularly the brutal 2-9-2 stretch without Giguere / Beauchemin / Pronger.
Aside from that, the team was still not the 1st half giant, but wasn't THAT far off either.
Bryzgalov has been good, sure, but let's not get carried away. The team has been dominant, and Breezy's been good enough behind a very good team. If anything, Backstrom might be the real story of the series (if I can ever stop writing about Sammy Pahlsson).
If anything, Backstrom might be the real story of the series (if I can ever stop writing about Sammy Pahlsson).
I've read your countless "Sammy for Selke" articles, don't worry :D
Anyhow, maybe Carlyle should put in Giguere for the last game, assuming this series seems all but over now.
Backstrom's looked terrific, but he's also faced many more shots than Bryzgalov, which probably renders my little part about him exaggerated.
You think Minny's going to play Boogard next game? It always seems like a huge issue for the television networks who broadcast the game, they even asked Brian Burke that question on the air.
Sheesh!
Anyhow, maybe Carlyle should put in Giguere for the last game, assuming this series seems all but over now.
My dad and I were talking over that idea yesterday over lunch (before G3), and his theory was that if either G3 or G4 was a blowout (Ducks up by 3 or so), that might be the time to give Giguere some ice time.
But now, with Breezy doing everything asked of him and more, I don't see how you can pull him out of the next start.
Giguere will just have to make do with either a Bryz-falter or a weekload of practice time.
I agree, but, as you said Breezy hasn't been the X-Factor for the Ducks, he's been getting the job done behind a good team.
I believe Giggy should play, so they can see what he can do and if he'd be ready to play possibly Detroit in the next round.
You can't just forget what he did for the team when Bryzgalov was a little more than average for Anaheim this season.
Ah, luckily enough thanks to the 2nd seed the Ducks cannot possibly get Detroit next round (or Dallas, for that matter).
Likely at this point Anaheim are either looking at Vancouver (if they beat Dallas) or the winner of the NSH-SJS series (should Dallas pull it out).
If CGY pulls a miracle comeback, then we'd get them, but that's looking awfully improbable of late.
Aww man, sorry, I'm falling asleep and forgot you guys won't play DET in the 2nd round.
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