How the Anaheim Ducks captured first place in the Pacific Division

For the first time in eight years, the Anaheim Ducks wake up today in a playoff spot and perhaps most surprisingly to some, first place in the Pacific Division. In a portion of their schedule, in which the Ducks faced off against not only playoff teams, but actual Stanley Cup contenders, the team passed with flying colors.

The Ducks kicked off week four by smiting the New Jersey Devils, an Eastern Conference powerhouse, on home ice.

The Ducks then handedly defeated the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, again.

Then in the first game of a mini road trip, the Ducks downed the Dallas Stars.

Finally, in a battle for first place in the Pacific Division, the Ducks vanquished the Golden Knights in Vegas, by a final score of 4-3. This game was one of the most electric and dominate games from Leo Carlsson, who potted two goals and added an assist, to help secure the win. Despite Carlsson's heroics however, the winning goal in overtime game from an unlikely source.

Yes, that is Jacob Trouba, the much-begrudged defenseman and former captain of the New York Rangers sliding the puck five-hole for the overtime winner.

With six wins in a row and against tough opposition, the Ducks are letting the league know that they are a team that should not be taken so lightly anymore. The Ducks have an 82.5% chance of making the playoffs and have a goal differential of +13 in all situations, which ranks third in the entire league. Carlsson ranks third in the NHL in points with 23. Cutter Gauthier is third in the league in goals with 11. Lukas Dostal is fourth in goals saved above expected with 8.7. The core of the Ducks feels like they are finally showing that untapped potential, and the season is only 14 games in.

The three stars of the week

Third star: Petr Mrazek

After two putrid starts in relief for Dostal, concern mounted about whether Mrazek could be a viable backup for the Ducks. With a schedule featuring back-to-back games against Vegas and Winnipeg, the decision of which game to start Mrazek was a pick your poison proposition. The coaching staff for the Ducks opted to go with the game in Vegas.

Early in the game, Mrazek had a miscommunication with Jackson LaCombe playing the puck behind the net, which almost resulted in an own goal. However, Mrazek redeemed himself by allowing only three goals on 39 shots, for a .923 save percentage, including this beauty of a stop to help ensure a tie game.

Second star: Cutter Gauthier

Gauthier had another strong week on the scoresheet, with five goals and adding three assists. With every passing game, it seems the trade of Gauthier for Jamie Drysdale with the Philadelphia Flyers, becomes more lopsided in the Ducks' favor. Gauthier's best game of the week came against the Florida Panthers, when he netted his first hat trick.

First star: Leo Carlsson

The number one center for the Ducks had one of the best weeks of his young career, accounting for three goals and five assists. Against Vegas, Carlsson faced tough lineup match making and still produced on the scoresheet, including a highlight reel worthy goal.

Biggest Concern

Can this last?

After seven years of being in the basement, this kind of early success from the Ducks feels like a fever dream. The coaching staff seems to have embraced the idea of letting the young guns play to their strengths, while placing those same young core pieces in high-leverage situations. Almost all of the veteran pieces have completed the young core well, particularly Chris Kreider and Trouba. While injuries are still a factor for the team, with Mikael Granlund, Radko Gudas, and Ryan Strome on the shelf; the young skaters that have stepped up in their absence, Beckett Sennecke and Ian Moore, have produced beyond expectations.

With the caveat that it is still relatively early in the season, only 14 games, this brief window of surprising success brings hope for the future. If the Ducks can sustain this level of offensive productivity, then the team will be looking at its first playoff berth in years.

What's next?

The Ducks do not get a chance to catch their breath, as the Winnipeg Jets come to Anaheim tonight. The Ducks then head out on the road again, with games against Colorado, Detroit, and Minnesota. Either the Ducks will continue to establish themselves as one of the NHL's surprisingly dominant offensive teams or cool off and settle back into a team that just caught a heater; the upcoming week should bring one of these narratives into clearer focus.