Anaheim Ducks: Three Keys To Victory Over the Jets

The Anaheim Ducks have had another amazing regular season culminating in another Pacific Division Championship and 1^st seed in the Western Conference playoffs. However the Ducks have their sights on bigger goals and most are saying if not now when? When will the Ducks finally break through and have their phenomenal regular culminate into the 2^nd Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Ducks haven’t advanced past the 2^nd round of the playoffs since their Cup winning campaign of 2007 and this may be the most talented team they’ve had since those days. The Ducks have a team that is on par with the best the league has to offer and when the whole team plays to their ability they’re unbeatable. But there is a reason the Cup is the hardest trophy in professional sports to win and the Ducks will need to play their A game every night to accomplish Mission 16W. The first step in that mission starts tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg has been starving for playoffs to return to the city and the team went on 17-8-5 tear to make the post-season. The Jets are heavy, fast team that won’t go quietly as the 8 seed. The Ducks need these three things for an opening round win.

1. Defense needs to take step forward.

A lot has been made of the Ducks d core in recent years as an Achilles heel that is to young, too inexperienced and not up to snuff come post-season time. This is a D core led by the likes of Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm Sami Vatanen, and François Beauchemin. Take away Beauchemin and the other three big Duck defenders have a total of 42 playoff games between them. However this sport waits for no one and ready or not they must play to the level they’re capable of. Fowler despite his young age of 24 needs to be the steadying force on a pair with recently acquired youngster Simon Despres. Both Fowler and Despres are young, mobile, physical and can bring added offense to the table. They also need to not let the bright lights and big stage rattle them. Fowler has been to three post-seasons and it’s time for him to be a steadying driving force. Beauchemin veteran presence should help Lindholm who only has 11 playoff games under his belt. Lindholm had 34 points this season while being a team best +25. Lindholm has the makings of becoming a franchise defender, and a big step toward that could be his play this post-season.

The Jets are big and physical both up front and on the backend. The Ducks defense can neutralize this by moving the puck quickly out of their own zone and taking advantage of the Jets big defenders. While players like Dustin Byfuglyin and Tyler Myers bring a physical edge they also aren’t the most fleet of foot. Using the Ducks youth and speed to move the puck on the Jets big defenders could help neutralize them. If this defense can stay physical, disciplined, and stout defensively while helping aid in the offense the Ducks will be a much more dangerous team and in a great place to eliminate the Jets

2. Goaltending.

Yes I understand goaltending is always a key but for the Ducks against the Jets and moving forward Frederik Andersen like the defense, must step up to the plate. Last season Andersen appeared in 5 and half games for the Ducks before being injured against Dallas in Game 6. Andersen looked solid in his three games at Honda Center (all wins) and notably nervous and shaky in games away from SoCal (all losses). As it stands John Gibson is day to day with an injury and Jason Labarbera won’t sniff the net unless the unthinkable happens so it’s Andersen’s show. Andersen had a great season finishing the 14-15 campaign with a 35-12-8 record, 2.38 GAA, and .914 SV%.

That play must continue in Honda Center as well as in MTS Center. Winnipeg sold out Games 3 & 4 in a matter of minutes and needless to say with playoff hockey returning there for the first time since 1996 the “white out” will occur in full force. Andersen needs to block out the noise and play just as well in both buildings. Andersen can be an extreme calming force for a young D core and if he makes the saves he should and propels the Ducks to victory it gives the team even more and more confidence with every save he racks up.

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3. Ryan Kesler

The Ducks biggest acquisition since maybe the trades that brought Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger is playoff must perform. Following the Game 7 loss to the Kings last season the Ducks knew they had to get deeper down the middle. The Ducks addressed that need in bringing Kesler into the fold and this is the time he must perform. Kesler had 20-27-47 stat line in the regular season which included some big game winning goals. But the Ducks got Kesler for spring and summer hockey and he must shine. The 2011 Vancouver Canucks were one game from the Stanley Cup and thanks in large part to Kesler. Kesler had 19 points in 25 games that post-season and was a game away from lifting hockey’s ultimate prize. He knows he may have his best chance this season with Anaheim and that should be all the motivation he needs.

The Jets like any other team the Ducks face, will try to neutralize the Getzlaf-Perry line. In years past stopping that duo would be a big step to stopping the Ducks. However Kesler adds another dimension and depth to the Ducks causing the opposition to worry about him and his line as well. Kesler lives for playoff hockey. He agitates, gets under your skin, will make you pay for touching the puck and can score with the best of them. Also in tight games like playoffs often are, his face-off ability will prove vital. Face-offs were a key factor to the Ducks demise last season and Kesler severely increases there face-off percentage. If Kesler is at his best the Jets will have to put guys like Byfuglien against him freeing up the Getzlaf-Perry line as well as other younger lines to have more room to work.

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