First of all I'm very sorry for the lack of content this past week but I have hit the busiest time of the year in my real life and sometimes my writing has to take a backseat. I hate it, You hate it, but we power on like real troopers.
Now back to the show.
The Anaheim Ducks have reached their time of the year. It's that time of the year when they kick their play into full gear and cruise into the playoffs with a full head of steam. Let's face it, the first half of the season is all fun and games and means nothing to this team. The Ducks toy with our emotions and their unsuspecting opponents.
Every December the league, along with Anaheim's fans do their best to write off the Ducks... and then the calendar changes and then the month of March rolls in and then the Ducks are back to winning with regularity.
On Sunday, Anaheim throttled a former nemesis in the Chicago Blackhawks. Jakob Silfverberg and Corey Perry had a pair of goals each. Rickard Rakell scored for a third consecutive game, Marcus Pettersson had his first career goal, and John Gibson made 37 saves in a very entertaining 6-3 thumping at the Ponda Center.
BTW, Rickard Rakell is up to 27 goals and a career high 54 points in 61 games and he looks like he's having a blast doing it. He will pass that 33 goal mark this season. Book it.
It was the tenth game in their last 12 that Anaheim earned at least a point...and thanks to an LA Kings meltdown against those very same Hawks on Friday, the Ducks moved into third place in the Pacific Division. The Quack attack in 15-7-4 since January 1st with point in seven of eight and they are getting better with every shift.
AND, AND, AND.... four of their final five games are at home and that one road game is in Arizona on the final day of the season. Anaheim's chances of making the playoffs rose to 68.2% per Hockey-references playoff probabilities. I like this teams chances.
So, yes we have reached the most wonderful time of the year...for the Ducks.
Caps in town tomorrow. More fun in the sun.
Now, I've got to get back to work.
Thanks for reading, Steve