It's been a long week. I left my home in Southern California and move my family to the great state of Texas for a new job opportunity. It already seems like we've been gone for an eternity. There's been an earthquake, more than a handful of Anaheim Ducks games and a Pacific Division race that is going to go down to the wire.
As we stand, the Ducks hold a slim one point lead over the San Jose Sharks by virtue of am impressive 5-1 road win over the Vancouver Canucks. I say impressive because it came on the heels of a frustrating overtime loss the the lowly Edmonton Oilers the night before and it was against an obviously desperate team.
Anaheim was outshot in every period except the first,including 15-6 in the middle frame. The difference was Anaheim's ability to get on the board first and play of their rookie goaltender. Before the game was even 10 minutes old, Luca Sbisa's first tally of the season and Matt Beleskey's sixth had Anaheim on top 2-0. That's all Freddie Andersen would need..
Andersen made 31 stops to earn his 17th win of the season. That's tops among rookie net minders. Andersen was, as he has been quite often, the difference maker. He made several key saves, especially in the second period. He was named the games first star.
The Canucks managed to squeeze a goal of their own between in before Saku Koivu's 10th, Corey Perry's 38th and Mathieu Perreault's 18th put the game away
The Ducks are 4-0 against the Vancouver this season with one more game against them before the season in through.
The Ducks are 3-0-1 since losing the Sharks on March 20. They are down to the their final eight games of the season and get one more crack at San Jose before the season is done.
That could be the game that decides the division and who gets the tough task of playing the LA Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Anaheim's next game is Monday at Honda Center versus the Winnipeg Jets. It's the first game of a three game home stand against non-playoff teams (Jets, Preds, Oilers).
Five of the Ducks final eight games are at home. That should help in their chase for the division crown.
*** On Mathieu Perreault...the 26 year-old has put together one heck of a good season for the Ducks. His 39 points, (18g 21a), four power play goals and +15 rating are all career highs.
In addition, if he can stay healthy, Mathieu will surpass his previous high of 64 games played in a single season. He has played in 61 games for the Ducks so far.
Besides his offensive output he has been the teams more reliable face off man and has played valuable minutes for a team that has been besieged with injuries throughout the year.
Not bad for a guy that was acquired as an afterthought for a fourth round pick and a minor-league player.
***
The Ducks lead the Pacific by a single point, but have two games in hand in their race with the Sharks to the finish line. The ball is solely in Anaheim's court to win the division now.
San Jose picked the worst possible time to lose two games in a row. But, as a wise man once told me, "the Sharks will fall apart late...they always do."
Truer words were never spoken.
Thanks for reading!