Looks like Winnipeg will have to wait another year for their first playoff win!
The Anaheim Ducks played through the noise and the “white out” conditions to take Game 4 5-2 and complete the sweep of the Jets. The Ducks’ success can be attributed to a full team effort. It sounds cliché but through the four games the Ducks were carried at different times by their stars, secondary scoring, young players, and goaltending. That’s how you succeed in the playoffs having all facets clicking for you so that if one group gets shut down the others step up.
All things considered this game started much tamer than the previous four. Some hits thrown each way and some scoring chances, but not the breakneck speed and bone crunching hits everyone had come to expect of these teams. The Jets struck first on a power-play tally from Bryan Little that awoke the Jets faithful. However just as the Ducks have done all series they had a response. Just 86 seconds later Emerson Etem silenced MTS Center when his blazing speed and deke made Jets rookie defender Jacob Trouba look silly before flipping a shot past Ondrej Pavelec. You have to see it to believe it, folks:
The Jets rally behind their crowd and silencing them quickly and for long stretches of time make things much easier on you as a road team.
The Ducks would do something in the second period they hadn’t done all series, leave it with a lead. Hampus Lindholm showed everyone why the Ducks believe this kid can be the real deal. He led a rush up ice before making a slick pass to Corey Perry. Perry toe dragged around Dustin Byfuglien and slid a pass for a one time goal from Andrew Cogliano.
Lindholm preserved that lead later in the period while the Ducks were on the power-play. When a François Beauchemin point shot was blocked, the Jets had a shorthanded breakaway denied by the diving poke check of Lindholm. Lindholm was a major reason why the Ducks took a lead into the 3rd and why they would win the game.
The third period should be renamed the Ryan Kesler show. It has been well documented as to why the Anaheim Ducks went out and brought Kesler into the fold. Watching the 3rd period last night should’ve showed you every reason why. Just a shade above 13 minutes left in the game Tomas Fleischman made a slick pass to Simon Despres on a 2-1 that Pavelc stopped. However he couldn’t control the rebound and a streaking Kesler tapped it in for a 3-1 Ducks lead.
That goal would be the insurance marker that kept the Jets fans at bay a bit longer. A small ray of hope for the Jets peaked through when Mark Stuart‘s point shot went of Cam Fowler and in but as the Ducks have done all series they responded. Frederik Andersen stood tall making calm and collected saves and one of those led to another 2 on 1 for the Ducks. Kesler made no mistake when Jakob Silfverberg sent him a cross ice feed the he put top shelf to seal the win for the Ducks. Sami Vatanen would add an empty netter and the Jets can start to set up their tee-times.
Kesler the “Silencer”
Ryan Kesler relishes the post-season and the big games. He did it all regular season and it seems he even ratchets it up to another level come playoff-time. He stated following the Game 3 OT thriller “there’s something special happening in that room right now.” And he believes this team can claim hockey’s ultimate prize. Kesler was serenaded and booed through the two Games in the Peg but silenced those jeers in emphatic ways. He scored with just over two minute’s remaining in Game 3 to force over-time. And then last night he added the insurance marker and then the dagger to secure the Ducks win. And as nice as it is to get the series win Kesler summed up the Ducks view of it post game:
"You can relish it tonight, but it’s one series. We didn’t come here to win one series. We came here for the whole thing. It’s one step. We’ve got three more to go. So, we’ve got to focus on the steps."
Kesler is absolutely right and understands what this team can do. If he and his partner in crime Jakob Silfverberg can continue the way they played during this series the Ducks will be in great position to go far.
Defense Stepped Up
In my keys to winning the series I mentioned that the Ducks defense would have to be a big factor. In the past the reason for the Ducks failures was due to a young or inexperienced D core. This core is still young but they know how to win and did in this series. Only Simon Despres was a minus rating for the series and Ducks defensemen like Fowler and Lindholm had great goals or plays that directly lead to goals. The defense core need to build off this performance and know that the 6 of them are most likely going forward together. As much as many fans want Clayton Stoner out (myself included) its hard to make changes when you swept a series. As long as the D-core remains stout and poses and offensive threat as well the Ducks will be hard to handle going forward.
3 stars
1st star: Have to go with Ryan Kesler. He played close to 20 minutes, was 54% on face offs, had 2 goals and was a +3. When Kesler is going like that the Ducks are going to be in great shape. He also knows this is just a step in the direction to winning the Cup and knows that there is a lot of hard work ahead of the Ducks. His play and mind-set through this series and looking beyond is why every Ducks fan is excited and cant wait and ever opponent the Ducks will have will hate and villainies’ him. That’s okay with Kesboss
2nd star: Frederik Andersen. Andersen knew it was his show when John Gibson injured his hand and he went a long way to keep that net. After a roller coaster ride the past two seasons with losing the net to Gibson late last season, getting injured in Round 1 last year, having a great season but losing the net to Gibson again this year he wants to stay in the Ducks crease. Andersen stopped 109 of the 118 shots he saw in this series and made some huge game saving stops especially in Games 3 and 4 in Winnipeg. Andersen who looked rattled at times last playoffs and flustered almost has looked anything but in these playoffs. Hes making calm and collected saves and gaining confidence with every stop he makes.
3rd star: Andrew Cogliano. This could have gone to a number of people but Cogs has had another great series. He picked up the go ahead goal off a sweet feed from Perry in the second and his speed and tenacticty gave the Jets fits all series. Cogs is on the smaller end but he isnt afraid to go into the corners and up against big defenders. He uses his speed to make life miserable for the opposition and the “Iron Man’s” compete level is off the charts. When hes on the ice he is always making things happen and he can be used in virtually every situation. Its great to see his hard work rewarded and if he along with others can provide that depth scoring under the star players the Ducks will be ane even more dangerous and deadly team.
On to Round 2
The Ducks will get a few days off as they are the first team to advance to the 2nd round. As mentioned above the team knows this is a step to the greater goal and now they must take another one. The Ducks will face either the Calgary Flames or Vancouver Canucks in round two. Currently the Flames have a 3-1 series lead as the series shifts back to Vancouver. Regardless of the Ducks next opponent there will be no shortage of storylines as if the Flames finish it off the Ducks will be going up against former goaltender Jonas Hiller or if the Canucks can rally Kesler will be meeting his old team and teammates with a berth in the Western Conference Finals on the line.
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