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Anaheim Ducks Blogger •
If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that the last two games the Ducks played this season would matter or that they wouldn’t clinch a playoff spot until the 81st game of the 82 game season, I would have thought they were delusional. However, tonight’s game was very important. The second the Ducks went into overtime, they clinched a spot in the playoffs, since they would beat any team near them in points in a tie breaker. The last game of the season (tomorrow in Phoenix) may determine who the Ducks play in the first round of the playoffs. If the Ducks win tomorrow’s game, they face Detroit next week and will only face the Sharks if they can beat the Red Wings in that series. With any other result, the St. Louis/Colorado game (in Colorado on Sunday) will determine who the Ducks face in the first round of the playoffs.
For now, the Ducks remain in 7th place and if things don’t change they will face the Red Wings starting next week in round one of the playoffs.
Naturally, at dinner and in the press box before the game and during intermissions, there was a lot of discussion about who the Ducks would have a better chance against in the playoffs. To me, it seems like the press box is pretty much split down the middle. Half of them think that since the Red Wings haven’t been doing that great lately (5-4-1 in their last 10) that they’d be the team the Ducks might have a chance of beating in the playoffs – especially since the Ducks have taken the Red Wings out of the playoffs before. (Incidentally, both times the Ducks beat the Red Wings in the playoffs they went to the finals – 2003 & 2007.) The other half thinks the Ducks would be better off facing the Sharks. These people say that though the Sharks have been a great team this season, they’re unproven in the playoffs and never seem to have quite what it takes. Many (including me) chose the Sharks as the team they thought would go to the Stanley Cup Finals from the western conference last season. (Jim Fox is choosing them for the 3rd year in a row this year – perhaps 3rd year is the charm… the rest of us are a little wary about choosing the Sharks to make it that far.)
Of course, there are many who think that though the Ducks may have a slightly better run with the Red Wings or the Sharks the Ducks don’t have a chance of making it to the second round. Though I agree the Ducks will have a rough time making it beyond the first round of the playoffs this year, I don’t know many people who picked the Stars to beat the Ducks last year and we all know how that series went.
The Ducks picked a good point in the season to pick up their game. When asked what the turning point of the season was for the Ducks this year, Randy Carlyle said the trade deadline. He elaborated bit later, saying that everyone knew that they were going to be an Anaheim Duck then and the team was able to come together and play with more confidence.
If you didn’t see tonight’s Ducks/Stars game, be sure to check out Selanne’s goal on YouTube. I’m certain it’ll be up there soon and his shootout goal was amazing. It doesn’t get much better than that. Turco’s probably still fuming about that goal.
The eastern conference had all their teams clinched for the playoffs a bit earlier, but the last games of the season still matter for a lot of teams. The Flyers, Hurricanes, and Penguins could all be in 4-6 place. The Rangers and Canadiens (in 7th and 8th now could switch places). No one really knows which teams will be playing each other when the playoffs start next week, so the end of the season is very interesting this year. Four teams in the Atlantic division made the playoffs again. The Atlantic division reordered this season, but they’re still one of the toughest divisions (if not the toughest) in the NHL.
This year, the Central division had 4 teams make the playoffs, too. Quite a turnaround for that division. Last year, many argued that the Red Wings might not have been as good as they seemed, since they got to play every team in their division 8 times. This year, 4/5 of the teams in their division are in the playoffs.
Kat
Contact Kat
To read more of my thoughts on the NHL and other sports, check out Press Box Perspective.
For now, the Ducks remain in 7th place and if things don’t change they will face the Red Wings starting next week in round one of the playoffs.
Naturally, at dinner and in the press box before the game and during intermissions, there was a lot of discussion about who the Ducks would have a better chance against in the playoffs. To me, it seems like the press box is pretty much split down the middle. Half of them think that since the Red Wings haven’t been doing that great lately (5-4-1 in their last 10) that they’d be the team the Ducks might have a chance of beating in the playoffs – especially since the Ducks have taken the Red Wings out of the playoffs before. (Incidentally, both times the Ducks beat the Red Wings in the playoffs they went to the finals – 2003 & 2007.) The other half thinks the Ducks would be better off facing the Sharks. These people say that though the Sharks have been a great team this season, they’re unproven in the playoffs and never seem to have quite what it takes. Many (including me) chose the Sharks as the team they thought would go to the Stanley Cup Finals from the western conference last season. (Jim Fox is choosing them for the 3rd year in a row this year – perhaps 3rd year is the charm… the rest of us are a little wary about choosing the Sharks to make it that far.)
Of course, there are many who think that though the Ducks may have a slightly better run with the Red Wings or the Sharks the Ducks don’t have a chance of making it to the second round. Though I agree the Ducks will have a rough time making it beyond the first round of the playoffs this year, I don’t know many people who picked the Stars to beat the Ducks last year and we all know how that series went.
The Ducks picked a good point in the season to pick up their game. When asked what the turning point of the season was for the Ducks this year, Randy Carlyle said the trade deadline. He elaborated bit later, saying that everyone knew that they were going to be an Anaheim Duck then and the team was able to come together and play with more confidence.
If you didn’t see tonight’s Ducks/Stars game, be sure to check out Selanne’s goal on YouTube. I’m certain it’ll be up there soon and his shootout goal was amazing. It doesn’t get much better than that. Turco’s probably still fuming about that goal.
The eastern conference had all their teams clinched for the playoffs a bit earlier, but the last games of the season still matter for a lot of teams. The Flyers, Hurricanes, and Penguins could all be in 4-6 place. The Rangers and Canadiens (in 7th and 8th now could switch places). No one really knows which teams will be playing each other when the playoffs start next week, so the end of the season is very interesting this year. Four teams in the Atlantic division made the playoffs again. The Atlantic division reordered this season, but they’re still one of the toughest divisions (if not the toughest) in the NHL.
This year, the Central division had 4 teams make the playoffs, too. Quite a turnaround for that division. Last year, many argued that the Red Wings might not have been as good as they seemed, since they got to play every team in their division 8 times. This year, 4/5 of the teams in their division are in the playoffs.
Kat
Contact Kat
To read more of my thoughts on the NHL and other sports, check out Press Box Perspective.
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