After Tuesday's game with the white hot
Chicago Blackhawks (10-0-2), The
Anaheim Ducks will have reached the quarter mark on the season. Right now they stand at 8-2-1 with 17 points, first in the Pacific Division and second overall in the Western Conference. Not a bad start for a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of the conference.
The Ducks are doing this as a solidified unit and they seem to be having a ton of fun. Much of the credit should go to head coach Bruce Boudreau. In his first 'full' season behind the Anaheim bench he is doing a heck of job of getting the most out of each and every player. He seems to be a great judge of talent and player potential and that will only bode well for the Ducks for the rest of this season and beyond.
Anaheim's start is even more remarkable when you consider this team doesn't even have a single player in the top 30 in goal scoring and nobody in the top 10 in points or assists. Yet, they are ranked fourth in the NHL in goals scored and occupy four of the top six spots in the plus/minus category.
Right now the Ducks have 12 players with at least a goal with seven of those having four or more goals. That's even more impressive when you look at how they rank against the NHL's best teams. The West leading Blackhawks only have four players with more than four goals and the East leading
New Jersey Devils have even less, with only three player having four or more goals.
Remember last season when all but six players on Anaheim's roster had a plus rating? So far this season, the Ducks have 15 players with a plus rating, including six players plus-6 or better.
Needless to say these are not your mother's Anaheim Ducks. I only hope they can keep this up for next 37 games.
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Ducks Show True Character in Win Over Blues
Saturday's game with the St. Louis Blues was a wild one. After laying an egg in Dallas and falling behind 3-1 against the Blues, the Anaheim Ducks found a way to win the game and keep their impressive season start alive.
The Ducks offense came to life in the second period. They got goals from Teemu Selanne, Andrew Cogliano and Bobby Ryan in a span of 1:41 to erase a two-goal deficit and take the lead.
The teams traded goals in the third period and this game had to be decided in the sixth round of a shootout on a Nick Bonino five-hole goal.
Both Viktor Fasth and Brian Elliot would probably like to forget this game very happened. They both let in some really soft goals, but they can't take all the blame. This was truly a night when both offenses just clicked. It was a fun game to watch as a fan because it had so much action and you knew any shot, from anywhere could go in.
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