The Anaheim Ducks improved to 7-1-1 in their last eight games following s brilliant performance from goaltender John Gibson on Tuesday night at the barn Disney built.
Gibson stopped all 36 shots he faced en route to a 4-0 whitewashing of the Metro-leading Washington Capitals. It was his second shutout this season and the 14th of his career. Injuries have been Gibson's biggest nemesis this season, but when he's been healthy, he's been great and last night was no exception.
The 24-year-old extended his personal win streak to six games. He's allowed nine goals during this stretch that has included both of his shutouts this season. Gibby is 8-1-1 since the All-Star break and he's peripheral numbers have been off the charts. He has a .953 save percentage and 1.55 goals-against average during this run of brilliance. This bodes very well for the Ducks in the playoffs.
Gibson was great, but the defense did their job as well. They managed to do something very few teams have done this season - shut down Alex Ovechkin. The NHL's leading goal scorer was held off the score sheet for just the third time in his last eight games. The Great 8 was held to just two shots in more than 24 minutes of ice time and he finished a minus-2. Kudos all around.
And of course the other story in this game was Rickard Rakell extending his goal-scoring streak to four games. The Ducks young sniper picked up his 28th goal of the season with a wicked snipe. There is no doubt that Rakell will hit that 30-goal mark for a second straight season and there's also no doubt that he is the next great Anaheim goal-scorer. Move over Scorey Perry.
With the win the Ducks pushed past San Jose into second place in the Pacific Division. Think of the race in the Pacific as a horse race heading down the stretch. These thoroughbred horses will be jostling back-and-forth up until game 82 and one of these horses will take this race by a nose.
Hockey-reference.com has the Ducks chances of making the playoff at 75.4% after that win. That is a new season high.
The next few games will be a bit tricky. Let's not think about that today. Let's enjoy this one for now.
Thanks for reading, Steve