Anaheim Ducks vs Carolina Hurricanes: The Perfect Storm

Don’t be Fooled by the Calm Before the Storm

The Anaheim Ducks have managed to snag four out of six possible points so far on their five-game road trip. Call it what you will: a little good luck, showing off in front of mom, or the return of Carter Rowney; the fact of the matter is, they won. I believe that is exactly the motivation they need going forward.

Of course, the Anaheim Ducks still have a handful of glaringly obvious issues. If they want to have a chance at winning tonight, these issues need to be addressed by both the coaching staff and the players.

The Ducks competition tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes, are coming off of a 2-1 victory against the Montreal Canadiens despite being severely outshot. Their season record is very similar to the Ducks at 12-9-3.

The Canes are hoping to make a push for the playoffs this season. Although they are currently sitting in the fifth place spot of the Metropolitan Division, they need just one more win to be in the running for the second place wild card spot. This puts them in almost the exact same position as the Anaheim Ducks, so a lot is riding on this game.

I understand that we’re only two months into the season. However, the Hurricanes are having one of the best seasons they’ve had since their cup run in 2009. The division they play in is also a lot more competitive than the Pacific Division.

However, with the Ducks riding on the confidence of their previous two wins, they have everything they need in their “toolbox” to defeat the Hurricanes. It’s a matter of whether they utilize it properly and stay consistent.

Anaheim Ducks Player to Watch: Nick Ritchie

Nick Ritchie came into the 2018-19 season with fire in his eyes. His mission: to prove that he belongs in Anaheim. It was hard not to be critical of Ritchie, especially after a season where he spent about as much time in the sin bin as he did on the ice.

His point production last season was almost canceled out by the insane amount of inexcusable penalties he took. However, his calm demeanor so far this season has been a breath of fresh air for Anaheim Ducks fans.

However, that is not why he is our “Player to Watch” for tonight’s game. Nick Ritchie is on a hot streak. He has produced seven points in the past five games. This includes 4 goals and 3 assists. To add to that, one of his goals was the game-winning goal against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.

Ritchie has played half as many games as most of his teammates, yet he is only three goals away from being the Anaheim Ducks top goal producer this season. He is also a mere two points away from snatching a spot as one of the Anaheim Ducks top point producers of the season.

While that says a lot about the state of the team as a whole, the glass is always half full. Ritchie has, thus far, exceeded all expectations. The Anaheim Ducks are a better team, at least right now, when Ritchie is on the ice. The fervency that he has been displaying the past few games could go a long way in helping the Ducks take home the “W” tonight.

Anaheim Ducks: Three Keys to the Game

Although there is a barrage of things the Ducks need to focus on if they want to win tonights game, there are the top three that I feel need to be addressed.

Key One: Keep the Puck on Their Stick

In baseball, we hear a similar idiom of, “keep your eye on the ball.” Baseball and hockey are similar in that you want the bat or the stick to connect with the ball or the puck to produce good results! In a roundabout way, it means, pay attention to what you’re doing.

The Anaheim Ducks are, yet again, in a place where they are being outshot by their opponent. Why? It’s because they allow their opponents to control the majority of the puck possession. The reason more shots on goal don’t make it into the net is that of the impressive goaltending tandem of John Gibson and Ryan Miller.

Although it’s great that the Ducks to have stellar goaltending, they need to get that out of their head and focus on their puck possession. The Ducks main focus tonight should be to keep the puck on their stick. If they do that, they can control the pace of the game. It could also help them to generate more chances and score enough goals to win the game.

Key Two: Stay Disciplined and Minimize Penalties

The Anaheim Ducks have taken an awful lot of penalties so far this season, and it has wreaked havoc on their chances of winning. Their penalty kills unit has been decent so far this season, but they are still below the league average.

With the way the offense and the defense have been playing lately, the Ducks need to go back to basics and keep things simple. Constantly being on the penalty kill is a way to ensure that doesn’t happen.

More from Ducks News

• Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
• Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
• Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
• Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

Although the Hurricane’s power play is not something to cry over, it is still slightly better than the Ducks. If the Ducks give them any chances, it is likely that the Hurricane’s will eventually capitalize on their one-man advantage.

Key Three: Offense Needs to Step Up 

Randy Carlyle was recently quoted by Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register as saying that the defense needs to carry the team.

“To me, it’s about defense. We can be criticized for a lack of offense. The reality is, we need to be able to hold the opposition to one goal or two goals.” –Randy Carlyle

I have a lot of issues with the state of mind Randy Carlyle is currently in, but we will save that for another day. Currently, the Ducks defense is a mess. I don’t understand how Carlyle expects a blue line full of mostly rookie defensemen to carry the team.

Yes, the Ducks do have Josh Manson, Brandon Montour, and Hampus Lindholm. However, Cam Fowler is out after an awful facial injury and Hampus Lindholm is playing his first game back after a lower-body injury.

While I do agree that the defense needs to step it up a notch, so does the offense. The results of the game should not rely solely on the performance of the defense. It is a 50/50 effort. Although there are area’s where I believe the defense needs to be called out, they’re getting a pass tonight.

If the Ducks want to have any chance at winning the game tonight, the offense needs to speed it up, generate more chances, maintain possession of the puck, and make sure their passes are clean and crisp.

If you love the Anaheim Ducks as much as we do, let your voice be heard by writing for Pucks of a Feather! If you have any questions, you can find us on Facebook or Twitter!