Five Reasons Why the Anaheim Ducks Will Win The Stanley Cup!

Apr 1, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center

(center) celebrates after he scores a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third quarter at Honda Center. The Anaheim Ducks won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

2. The Ducks Will Not Choke, Collapse, or Give Up – Ever

You know how some teams choke away games they should have won – collapse under the pressure caused by the opposition mounting a furious comeback?

The Ducks don’t choke: in games in which they lead after one, the team is 26-3-3 on the season . . . and a more-than-impressive 30-0-2 when leading after two periods.

Go back and look at that statistic again: Anaheim did not lose a single game in regulation in which it opened the third period with the lead.

I honestly cannot remember an NHL team who was more of a lock to win a game it was leading after 40 minutes than this year’s Ducks, and I don’t see this advantage disappearing come the playoffs.  Anaheim just has too many veteran players to start coughing up leads late in regulation.

But wait – I have an even better stat for you to marvel over: Anaheim was 31-1-7 in games decided by only one goal in 2014-2015.  What was it that Keith Olbermann used to say?  “Cool as the other side of the pillow.”

And get this: the Anaheim Ducks set an NHL record this season by winning 18 games in which they were trailing at any point in the third period.

Let’s recap: the Ducks rarely lose control of games in which they hold a lead.  They thrive in tightly-contested affairs. And they are the best comeback team in the history of the NHL.

It will take a supreme effort to beat the Ducks four times in a seven game series, because they sure as hell are not going to beat themselves.

Next: Too Many Bullets in the Chamber