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Ducks/Wings Game 3: Hiller In; Souray Out & a Niedermayer Flashback

May 4, 2013, 1:27 PM ET [2 Comments]
Steve Palumbo
San Jose Sharks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Jonas Hiller gets the nod tonight when with the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings round one match-up shifts to Joe Louis Arena for game 3.

Bruce Budreau remains confident in his 31-year-old netminder, despite his surrendering five goals in the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 overtime loss two nights ago.

The Ducks coach didn't think his team played well in front of Hiller and that may have earned the Swiss goalie another chance in net.
"I thought there was some great saves and some saves he should have had, but I don't think on a couple of them the work in front of him was very good either," Boudreau Said yesterday.

With Viktor Fasth waiting in the wings, I thought it was possible that we'd see him tonight in Hiller's place, but the coach knows better than I do. That being said, I do think Hiller has a short leash. If he lets in another couple of quick goals tonight than he has to be pulled. Right?

Eric Stephens of the OC Register tweeted this morning that it appears Luca Sbisa will play tonight in place of a healthy Sheldon Souray.


Sbisa missed the final six games of the regular season and both games in this series due to a lower body injury. Souray, you'll recall, took two key penalties late in the second and third periods that resulted in early period power play goals for Detroit, including the game-winner in OT.

The story of this series so far has been special teams. The Ducks lead the Wings, 4-2, in 5 v. 5 goals, but trail 4-3 in power play goals. Three of Detroits five goals in Gm. 2 were with the
man advantage. The Ducks have to do a better job of staying out of the box (No the game is not being called in DET favor) because it's clear the PK in not right at this moment.

On Gustav Nyquist's game-winner the Ducks PK was frantically running all over the ice leaving the 23-year-old all alone in front of Hiller for his first career playoff goal.



I really want to see how the Anaheim responds tonight. So much has been made of "the Joe" and its effect on the Ducks in playoff series past. I honestly doubt a lockeroom with Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne is going to let be an issue at all. I'm hoping a convincing win tonight will kill all that talk forever. Let's try and remember that this Wings team does not have Stevie Y or Niklas Lidstrom and it's not 1998 anymore.

In addition, bench coach Scott Niedermayer once did this in Detroit as a 21-year-old...

Are you paying attention Cam Fowler?

LET'S GO DUCKS!

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