Dinner Time
After six plus months of appetizers, we come to the main course. The regular season is not pointless, this year it was probably the best character builder and bonding experience possible for the Ducks. This is, however, where everyone expected Anaheim to be, in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Its what the team has been working for since October.
Nashville is probably the best opponent the Ducks could have drawn in the opening round. Before I get tons of messages telling me I'm underestimating the Preds, allow me to continue. As I explained in a previous blog, these teams are not heated rivals. Had Anaheim drawn an in division opponent, it would have been more personal between the teams on the ice. San Jose and L.A. play the Ducks more physically than just about anyone else. There is lots of bad blood accumulated.
The Predators are a good team, but I believe the Ducks match up very well. Anaheim is deeper, more physical and can play to a variety of styles. I have watched Nashville play for years and have seen the team bloom offensively under Peter Laviolette. At this point, they don't have enough talent to win a seven game series against a healthy Ducks team.
Ah, but there's the rub. Anaheim is not fully healthy. Close to full strength, but not all pistons firing at peak efficiency. As of now there are lots of “ifs… and “mights… when it comes to availability. Without some of the Ducks missing key components, the scales even out a little more. Bruce Boudreau (and all of Ducksnation) would feel much better with Brandon Pirri and Kevin Bieksa on the ice over Chris Wagner, and Korbinian Holzer.
I like a healthy Ducks squad in five games, If the team that faced Dallas last week is the one the Boudreau is forced to go with for a week or so, Anaheim wins in seven.
Injury Updates
* David Perron, Rickard Rakell, and Sami Vatanen are good to go tonight.
* Kevin Bieksa is a definite maybe. He could play tonight, but it may be better for him if he takes another few days to recover. Shea Theodore will play if Bieksa doesn't.
* Brandon Pirri is most likely ready by the end of next week.
Murray Avoids Panic Button
In a story from earlier this week, it was reported that General Manager Bob Murray was close to making big changes after the Ducks horrid 1-7-2 start to the season. When asked if he considered a coaching change, he told the media, “I came close to doing lots of things. Lots of them and I’m not going to go into any specifics."
In other words, he considered removing Boudreau as head coach, but decided to stay the course. He was right to remain patient. The Ducks rebounded and those who called for the coach's head (me included) were proven wrong. Is this really a “news story,… I don't know. It is a good example how Murray stayed cool under pressure, and made a good analytical decision.
My Bracket
This is what I have in the NHL Bracket Challenge:
Round 1 Ducks over Preds – 5 games L.A. over S.J. - 7 games Dallas over Minnesota – 5 games St. Louis over Chicago – 7 games Washington over Philly – 5 games NYR over Pittsburgh – 6 games Florida over NYI – 7 games Detroit over Tampa – 6 games
Round 2 Ducks over L.A. Dallas over St. Louis Washington over NYR Florida over Detroit
Conference Finals Ducks over Dallas Washington over Florida
Stanley Cup Finals Ducks over Washington
Game 1 - Nashville @ Ducks
John Gibson was the first goalie off the ice in practice. An indication that he will start tonight. There is still some uncertainty over who will play tonight, but it looks like this will be the lineup:
Forwards Perron-Getzlaf-Stewart McGinn-Rakell-Perry Cogliano-Kesler-Silfverberg Horcoff-Thompson-Garbutt
Defense Fowler-Despres Lindholm-Bieksa/Theodore Stoner-Vatanen
Goalies Gibson Andersen