Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks 7PM Central/5PM Pacific NBCSN/CBC/TVA
This has been a fascinating series to watch. Two teams with dramatically different styles and rosters, very evenly matched.
The play has ebbed and flowed for each team, over and over again. Three games have gone to OT.
Game 5 was almost the series in microcosm. The Ducks dominated the first period, forechecking the Hawks, who looked like deer caught in the headlights of oncoming Mack Trucks for 20 minutes, to a 3-0 lead.
In the second period, the Hawks found their legs and their transition game, and suddenly it was the Ducks back on their heels. The Hawks scored two goals. The third period was more even, maybe a slight advantage to the Hawks who were able to will themselves to two late goals.
You can argue that the Hawks got lucky on the last goal. That’s one way of looking at it. You can also argue that the law of averages and poor preparation for a shot caught up with Fredrik Andersen.
Now, examining this game, you might come to the conclusion that after the first period, the Ducks laid back and allowed the Hawks back into it. That’s one way of looking at it.
I’ll agree somewhat on the first part, but not the second. The Ducks laid back perhaps because they had a three goal lead—and you can’t keep up their first period pace over the course of an entire game. The Hawks seemed also to get their legs after the first period. That’s the other way of looking at it.
There’s definitely an argument that the Hawks were lucky to get to OT. There’s another argument that the way the last 40 minutes went before overtime, the Ducks were lucky to win. The ongoing improvement of the Hawks’ third line, with Patrick Sharp, Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen, put more matchup pressure on the Ducks.
But what does it all mean, Basil?
Each team knows how it needs to play to win. The doing is the hard part. Anaheim has really nothing to lose by coming out and going hard in the first period, like they did in Game 5.
The Hawks should expect it by now. And they have everything to lose if they aren’t prepared.
Quick decisions, not treating the puck like a hand grenade (I’m looking at you, Bryan Bickell), quick breakouts with forward support are critical. Getting an early lead would be very nice.
And Corey Crawford needs to play better. Some of the goals he’s given up have been circumstantial and out of his control. But he played his best game of the series in Game 2 and hasn’t been great since. He definitely could be tracking pucks better.
But Andersen has now been exposed, too. His play has steadily deteriorated after a white-hot start, and now he looks very beatable.
Specifically, it will be interesting to see how Joel Quenneville works the matchups with last change tonight. And as far as lineup changes, I would not be surprised at all to see Bickell on the fourth line or in the press box, and Kris Versteeg back on Patrick Kane’s left wing. Kane is due, these are times in series where he breaks out. Bickell has been a boat anchor on that line, without question.
Another issue is the allocation of defense minutes. It does seem Kyle Cumiskey is playing more later in games—could it be that’s because the Ducks are not forechecking as hard late in games? Could it be Q is giving Cumiskey more minutes only is response to fatigue he sees in game?
Hard to say. But a couple of things are clear when Cumiskey’s playing. He’s clearly better than Kimmo Timonen and he can initiate the break and make a good stretch pass. Does Q give Cumiskey more minutes earlier on tonight? There seems to be an argument for just that.
The Blackhawks have their backs to the wall, need to play their best game tonight, and leave it all on the ice. It’s that simple.
JJ
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