Movin' On Up
Sunday's 4-1 win over Winnipeg was a huge step up for the Ducks. The victory brought Anaheim's record to 16-15-7 and a temporary bump to third place in the Pacific with a playoff spot. Calgary was able to jump back into third last night, but the Ducks have a game in hand.
Coach Bruce Boudreau was happy with the win, but he wants more. "We're not satisfied. Sure, we've put together a little run, but we need to stay above the graph, as I like to say," he told Ducks.com. The “not satisfied… is the type of swagger this team should have. “Above the graph,… is not a statement that inspires confidence. Stanley Cup winners are not slightly better than average.
Over the last eight games the team has played much better, claiming 12 of 16 points (5-1-2). Credit needs to go to John Gibson. He has revitalized this team. They play with more confidence when Gibson is in goal.
Why Not John?
Gibson's stellar play has led to him being named the NHL Rookie of the Month. At the beginning of this season, the favorites to win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year were the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Those two players deserved all the hype they received, due to the talents they possess. Unfortunately for McDavid, he got hurt. Eichel's team, though improved, just isn't very good. He is fourth in the league among rookie scorers and doesn't have enough talent around him to win the trophy.
Gibson has launched a strong candidacy. His record is 8-4-2, with a 1.63 goals against average, .932 save percentage and four shutouts. On a team that has difficulty scoring, those shutouts are huge. What is more important is that he has made the Ducks relevant again in the Western Conference. If the Ducks make a big run behind him, he should win the award.
Kudos
Corey Perry and Gibson were named to the Pacific Division all-star squad.
Toronto @ Ducks
The Maple Leafs are in town tonight, for a game at the Honda Center. It's not a must win, but it is a really need it bad win. Anaheim has served notice to the rest of the division that they will not “go quietly into that goodnight.… John Gibson will start in goal again. Clayton Stoner is still banged up a bit, so Korbinian Holzer will skate in his place. At this time, it looks like there will be no lineup changes up front from the Winnipeg game, but this is a Boudreau team, so nothing is certain.
Forwards Rakell-Getlaf-Perry Hagelin-Kesler-Silfverberg Cogliano-Horcoff-Santorelli Maroon-Thompson-Stewart
Defensemen Lindholm-Manson Vatanen-Bieksa Holzer-Theodore
Goalies Gibson Andersen