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Goose, Preds Cook Ducks

April 28, 2016, 1:09 AM ET [17 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT





Prior to Wednesday morning, east coast time, the Nashville Predators had never won a Game 7 in their team's 18 year history.


The Predators will be moving on from Anaheim to play San Jose on Friday night.

The Predators won the first two games of their series in Anaheim. The Ducks pushed back and won the next three games. The Preds won Games 6 and 7.


Former Buffalo Sabres grinder Paul Gaustad, a former seventh round draft choice, scored the game winner when he tipped and Shea Weber point blast past Freddie Andersen to give the Preds a 2-0.




On Monday night, St. Louis grinder Troy Brouwer, a fellow seventh round draft choice, scored the game winning goal in Game 7 to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.


Just. WOW!

The Ducks have now lost four, count 'em four straight Game 7s.


Bruce Boudreau's record in Game 7s is now 1-7. Peter Laviolette is now 5-1 in Game 7s that he has coached in.




Boudreau is likely going to lose his job after losing a grand slam of Game 7s in as many seasons. Great head coach. Poor luck in Game 7s in Washington and Anaheim.

Did you know that all eight teams to win in round one won Game 1 in their series?

In the end, the prepared teams won while the unprepared teams were sent packing.

Why were the Predators ready to win two straight road games in Anaheim? Why weren't the Ducks ready to defend their home ice?

Corey Perry was held to four assists and zero goals in the first round series against Nashville. He got a ton of chances, took a ton of shots, however, was foiled repeatedly by Preds Rock of Gibraltar Pekka Rinne.

In Game 7, Laviolette brought all five skaters back to their end and they were asked to protect the fort at all costs. The Preds switched out their north-south high octane rush game for a neutral zone trap, bar the door strategy. It worked because the Preds forwards and D blocked a ton of shots from all angles. They sacrificed their bodies and were rewarded with a win. The Preds blocked shots for Rinne and took away passing seams by clogging lanes with bodies, skates, and sticks. Shea Weber and the Preds D would not allow second, third offensively destructive Ducks.


Rinne made 36 saves in Game 7.


The San Jose Sharks are set to face the Predators in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Game 1 will be played in San Jose on Friday night.



San Jose eliminated the Kings in five games in the first round, wrapping up the series on Friday night with a 6-3 win at Staples Center.

It will be the third time the Sharks and Predators have met in the playoffs.

The Sharks knocked off Nashville in five games in the first round in 2006, and again in 2007 by the same margin.

The Sharks were 1-2 against Nashville in three meetings this season.

The winner of the Sharks-Predators series will face the winner of the Stars-Blues series in the Western Conference Final.

The Sharks, Preds, Stars, and Blues won't have to worry about the Blackhawks, Kings, Ducks and Wild from here on out as they have all been eliminated from the tournament. For the first time in a long time, the road to the Stanley Cup is wide open and will not be traveling through Chicago, LA, or Boston.



Sharks-Predators second round schedule:

Game 1: Friday, April 29, Predators @ Sharks
Game 2: Sunday, May 1, Predators @ Sharks
Game 3: Tuesday, May 3, Sharks @ Predators
Game 4: Thursday, May 5, Sharks @ Predators
*Game 5: Saturday, May 7, Predators @ Sharks
*Game 6: Monday, May 9, Sharks @ Predators
*Game 7: Wednesday, May 12, Predators @ Sharks

*if necessary




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There will be changes made to the Ducks' roster in the offseason.

I fully expect Anaheim GM Bob Murray to trade Cam Fowler this summer. Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma of the Buffalo Sabres have been hot on Fowler's trail since last summer. Tim Murray needs a lefthanded QB who can play the #2 alongside #1 Rasmus Ristolainen's.

The Ducks will be re-signing their two RFA D in Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. Each young D will be commanding long term contracts in the $4+ million per year range. Vatanen and Lindholm will be staying in Anaheim. The Ducks have youngsters Shea Theodore, Brandon Montour, Josh Manson, and Simon Despres who can and will fill the void when Fowler is traded. Fwler has two years remaining on his current contract at $4 million AAV.


I also xpect that the Ducks will be firing Boudreau in the days to come. Paul MacLean and Trent Yawney are contenders to replace Boudreau.




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