The Anaheim Ducks played a decent week of hockey. However, there were three players that took charge and led the Ducks in two amazing wins and tried to take control in their disappointing losses.
Three Stars of the Week has been put on the back burner as of late, but it’s back with our assessment of the Anaheim Ducks performance in Week 3. It was a grueling week that really tested the Ducks and their recent success. Nevertheless, they end the week 2-2-0, with a win against the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes and a loss to both the Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames.
Despite the two losses, the team never lost confidence in themselves. It has been a huge turn around from the team we saw last season. Not only has it been beneficial to the team as a whole, but it has given the fans hope that Anaheim will at least be competitive and entertaining this season.
Every week, the staff at Pucks of a Feather votes on the three players we believe had the best performances throughout the week. While we were a little split over last week’s performances, the consensus believed that these three players deserve recognition for their incredibly hard work. Without them, the Anaheim Ducks may not have been able to pull of those two incredible wins and stay in the game during the two equally disappointing losses.
Third Star of the Week: Rickard Rakell (2G, 3A)
Rickard Rakell seems to be back to his old self and has found a great linemate in Jakob Silfverberg. He struggled last season, but the change has been good for him. Currently second on the team in points, he had a five-point week, including a big goal that propelled the Ducks to make a comeback against the Buffalo Sabres.
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?
It’s great to see that he can have success apart from Ryan Getzlaf. Rakell has looked creative, determined, and passionate about the game again, and it looks good on him. Pairing him with another Swede was a great move on Dallas Eakins part. He has had a great start to the season and is currently on pace to have a 64 point season. It won’t be his best season with the Anaheim Ducks, but it is a significant improvement from last year.
Second Star of the Week: Jakob Silfverberg (3G, 2A)
Jakob Silfverberg has been gifted the nickname “Lazy Boy” from the fanbase. It is a bit of an oxymoron, as Silfverberg is anything but lazy. Currently leading his team in points, Silfverberg is one point away from being a point per game player. His performance over the last week is further proof why it was a great move for the Anaheim Ducks to sign him to a 5-year contract extension last season.
Silfverberg currently leads the team in points, with 8, having registered 4 of those points over the last week. The Carolina Hurricanes were one of the Ducks’ biggest tests at home this season, and Silfy shut them down with the game-winning goal just seconds into the second period. He also kept the Ducks from taking an embarrassing shutout at the hands of Cam Talbot against the Calgary Flames, scoring the Ducks lone goal just 0:12 into the middle period.
He is currently on pace to have a 73 point season. While he may not reach point totals that exuberant, anything over 50 points would be a great accomplishment for Silfverberg, as it would be his best season to date, and a big victory for the Anaheim Ducks who didn’t have any 50 point players last season.
First Star of the Week: Adam Henrique (4G, 1A)
Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg currently lead the team in goals scored, with 5 credit to both of their names. What is impressive, however, is that Rico has scored all of those goals, excluding the goal he scored against San Jose, last week. He had back to back two-point nights in the loss against the Boston Bruins and the incredible comeback win against the Buffalo Sabres.
No one thought that he would be the Anaheim Ducks’ first-line center at any point this season with Ryan Getzlaf in the lineup, and while it is unofficial, the chemistry he has with the two Swedes on his right and left is undeniable. Hopefully, his production can continue the upward climb, as he is currently on pace to have a 55 point season.
Do you love the Anaheim Ducks enough to write about them? Are you looking for a way to get more involved in the Anaheim Ducks community this season? Pucks of a Feather is hoping to add more dedicated contributors to our site. Apply today!