Anaheim Ducks

Lesson Learned

While the first 2 games of the season illustrated what the Ducks were missing with the loss of Chris Pronger and FranceoisBeauchamin, last night’s game in Boston showed exactly what they need to do going forward if they are to stay at elite status in the league without the two stalwart D-men.

Jonas Hiller was strong in the first period, stopping 18 of 19 shots as the Bruins had the better of the play.  The Bruins were able to pass a little bit too easily in the offensive zone in the first period, but the second period was where it all turned Anaheim’s way with back to back power play goals from Teemu Selanne.

Anaheim’s special teams were perfect with Teemu’s two goals coming on the only two power plays of the night and the penalty kill going 6 for 6 including a shorthanded goal.  The Ducks stood up at the blue line and forced the Bruins to dump the puck into the zone on the power play.  Even more impressively, in one instance, the Ducks controlled the puck down low in Boston’s zone for a whole minute before the Bruins were forced to ice the puck with the man advantage.  Anaheim corrected one of their biggest deficiencies from Tuesday night in Minnesota by exiting the zone well.  All the little things were there including Joffrey Lupul continuing to block shots after being cut by a puck to the face on Tuesday. 

Lupul’s blocked shot on the penalty kill lead to Corey Perry’s shorthanded goal, which was an indication of how well the game went for the Ducks by the end of the night.  Early on Bobby Ryan had chances left and right but couldn’t find the net.  After getting the momentum from Selanne’s two goals in 1:23, everything seemed to go in for the Ducks.  Evgeni Artyukhin was able to power his way in for a goal, Corey Perry walked across the slot for a beauty, Bobby Ryan tipped a Scott Niedermayer shot in after having almost countless opportunities and then there was Perry scoring a shorty off of his face.  It seemed that once the Ducks got going they could do no wrong.

Most importantly, though, they learned from their mistake on Tuesday by never letting off the gas.  Whether on the man advantage or the PK, down a goal, or up four the Ducks stuck to their game plan and showed that they can be successful this season by playing their game.