Nick Bonino and the Anaheim Ducks do it again.
Bonino scored his third goal in five games and collected his second GWG of the series. The 25-year-old sixth round pick is making the most of his playing time this post season. Bonino missed 20 games during the regular season with a lower body injury and his absence was felt immediately. The Ducks were just 9-8-3 without "Bones" in the lineup. He made his return with four games left in the regular season and the Ducks finished strong going 3-1 to clincg the second seed in the West.
Prior to game one, this is what head coach Bruce Boudreau said Nick Bonino brings to the team:
“He solidified [the second line]. He’s done a great job on the power play. I think we’ve scored in five or six straight games on the power play. He’s a really good presence there. The guys really like him. He blocks shots. He’s always the leader [in blocked shots] for us. He’s a very valuable piece to our puzzle. He may not have the numbers other people assume a second-line center is going to have, but he does an awful lot of good things.”
This is how Conn Smythe winners are born folks.
What a tremendous game all around. I can't tell you how many times I though to myself "the Wings got this" through the first 39 minutes of the game. But, you know what? The Ducks continue to amaze me and the rest of the hockey world with their ability to overcome adversity and find ways to win.
Daniel Winnik soundly surly during his in-game interview in the second period and moments later he was leveling Daniel Cleary for a boarding major. Already leading 2-1 in the game, I convinced myself that Detroit was going to use this opportunity to pounce and leave Anaheim up 3-2 in the series.
Like usual, I was wrong. The Wings never threatened and Ryan Getzlaf drew a minor penalty in the final minute of the major which he, himself turned into the game-tying goal.
I'm not sure if Getzy meant to, but his shot location was nearly identical to Kyle Palmieri's first period goal. Either way it was a huge momentum swing for Anaheim and just another reason why I feel that Getzlaf is one of the NHL's best captains. He has a knack for scoring clutch goals or making the big play when his team needs him most. For whatever reason, he has been especially good this season and it's carried over into this first round series. He already had five points (3g 2a) through the first five games of the series.
I'm tired and want to get to bed, but I can't go before I mention how great both Jimmy Howard and Jonas Hiller were tonight. They each battled the whole game and made saves they had no business coming up with. They both deserve kudos. They have truly been their respective teams last line of defense through the entire series.
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So, with the Kings and Ducks both winning in OT tonight and grabbing 3-2 leads in their first round match-ups, it is starting to look like the first Kings/Ducks playoff series could become a reality. Can you imagine? a seven game So Cal battle for bragging rights and THEN an outdoor game in Dodger Stadium next season?
Anaheim and L.A need to win one more game apiece and hope the Hawks can close out the Wild. Chicago leads the series 3-1 and can close it out at home on Thursday night.
If all goes as planned the Western Conference Semi-Finals will look like this:
#6 SJ vs. #1 CHI
#5 LA vs. #2 ANA
Hockey is alive and well in Sunny California.
***
Oh, one last thing...anybody seen Corey Perry lately?
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