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Anaheim Ducks (0-0) vs. Winnipeg Jets (0-0): Let’s Dance!

By Richard Spalding

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Break out your Fowl Towels – the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin tonight for the Ducks!

Ahhhhh!

Take a minute to stop and savor this moment, folks: the most exciting postseason in all of professional sports is about to begin for the Anaheim Ducks, and I can’t wait.

Ever since my son’s youth hockey season ended in late March, I have been jonesing for some meaningful hockey.  Yes, there were meaningful games to be had in the NHL the last few weeks . . . but watching teams jostle over seeds doesn’t do much for me, because unlike a sport such as the NBA, seeding means NOTHING in the NHL.

A number eight seed has just as much chance to win a playoff series as a number one seed in this sports, which is what makes it so damn exciting, yet so damn-heart-breaking.

And speaking of number ones squaring off numbers eights, let’s take a close look at the Ducks – Jets match-up.

Anaheim Ducks

Record: 51-24-7, #1 Seed in Western Conference

Key Players: Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry

Notable Injuries: John Gibson (G)

Why the Ducks Will Win: It’s tempting to say that the Anaheim Ducks have the Winnipeg Jets’ number; after all, the Ducks swept the season series.  Looks can be deceiving, though – two of the three wins that Anaheim earned against Winnipeg required extra time.

Truth is, the Jets are not a team the Ducks wanted to see in the first round – despite their 3-0 record against them, the Jets are a team that play a similar style and can almost match the Ducks strength for strength.  Hey NHL – figure out how to work your seeding system so the best team in the conference plays the worst, okay?

So why should the Ducks be able to pull this one out?  For one, I said Winnipeg can ALMOST match the Ducks’ strength for strength.  Truth be told, the Jets don’t have anyone on their roster who provide the 1-2 punch and knockout blow of Getzlaf and Perry.   That combination, and the fact that the Ducks have spent the last three postseasons failing to advance past the second round, give Anaheim an advantage that Winnipeg cannot overcome.

Winnipeg Jets

Record: 43-26-13, #7 Seed in Western Conference

Key Players: Dustin Byfuglien, Ondrej Pavelec

Notable Injuries: Mathieu Perreault (C), Grant Clitsome (D), Paul Postma (D)

Why the Jets Will Win: If the Jets are to upset the Ducks – and again, it’s only an upset in terms of seeding – it will be because they found a way to shut out Getzlaf and Perry at least twice in the series.  I’ve spent enough time here explaining how deadly the Ducks are when one of their studs score, and how average they are when they don’t.  If Winnipeg can force anyone but the Ducks’ two stars to score, they could win this thing.

So how will they perform such a feat?  Defense and goaltending.  There’s no doubt has the sort of physical and experienced defensemen to battle Anaheim’s first line to a draw on certain nights.  Even so, if the Jets are truly going to accomplish the near-impossible task of shutting Getzlaf and Perry out more than once during this season, it will be because netminder Pavelec stood on his head night in and night out.  Remember: the Jets went 10-3-1 down the stretch to qualify for the playoffs, and Pavelec had a huge hand in three, earning three straight road shutouts during that streak.  Can he continue stealing games for Winnipeg?  We’ll see.

My Pick: Duck in six.  Anaheim is too good, too deep and too motivated to go down this early.

Game one is scheduled for 10:30/7:30p on CNBC.  Follow us on Twitter @pucksofafeather and go Ducks!

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