Are the Anaheim Ducks on the Verge of History?
Can the Ducks cement their legacy as one of the most dominant teams in NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs history?
Last night, following the conclusion of the Anaheim Ducks’ 3-0 win over the Calgary Flames, I shared an interesting fact with everyone on Twitter:
How about that: as per NBC Sports only 1 team has won its first six playoffs games since the 2004-05 lockout: Pittsburgh
— Pucks of a Feather (@PucksofaFeather) May 4, 2015
That is pretty damn impressive right there. However, there are some even more impressive records the Ducks are just beginning to approach that would elevate this team into the realm of legendary if it could find a way to keep piling on the Ws.
For one, the Ducks could be on there to compiling one of the best postseason records of the modern NHL era. Back in 1993-1994, the NHL changed the format of the playoffs to something that resembles what the Stanley Cup Playoffs look like today. While there were modifications made after that season, the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs were the first time that 16 teams battled for Lord Stanley’s Cup using a best-of-seven format throughout the entire postseason.
Since then, three teams have dropped only four games en route to winning Lord Stanley’s Cup, while the 2007 Ducks managed to drop only five.
[table id=60 /]
Anaheim needs to go 10-4 from here on out to tie the best postseason records of the last two decades, and given the streaky nature of these Ducks (Anaheim was the only team in the NHL to achieve three winning streaks of six-games or longer in 2014-2015, going 7-0-0, 7-0-0 and 6-0-0 at various points), that record is not out of reach.
Another record that the Ducks are actually closer to tying/breaking is the record for consecutive playoff wins. In the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs, both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks put up 11-game winning streaks, with the Montreal Canadiens matching that feat one year later.
Is it too early to talk about such records? Yep. But it’s Monday, and I wanted to do some research. Clearly, all that matters is whether or not the Ducks finish their 2014-2015 season by lifting the Stanley Cup, but it’s nice to have a little perspective to appreciate the sort of company this team could wind up among if the good times keep a’rolling.