Losing in Game three, Tuesday night, was a setback for Anaheim. No one expected the Ducks to go through Nashville like Sherman went through Atlanta. It was another close game and the Ducks were on the wrong end of a 2-1 score. I thought that if the game went into overtime, the Ducks would pull it out. Unfortunately, Chris Wagner's late penalty led to the decisive goal. Several opportunities were present for Randy Carlyle's squad to seize control of the game, but weren't capitalized on. A win tonight is imperative for the OC warriors in order to avoid returning home down three games to one.
Clear
One of the biggest issues with Anaheim's play in game three was their inability to get the puck out of their own end of the ice. The playoffs are down to the final four teams and they are all good. At this point, giving an opponent multiple opportunities to control play and fire away at your goalie will put a dagger in any teams championship aspirations. It a point not lost on team captain Ryan Getlaf. "We just need to take care of the puck a little bit better than we did in the last game. We didn't move it effectively," he said to the media.
My wife tells me that I have a bad habit of talking (or yelling) at the television. I wish I had counted how many times I said aloud,…Clear the Zone.… As frustrating as it was to watch on tv, it has to drive Carlyle insane. Not to sound like the voice of doom, but the Ducks must improve in this area immediately or by next week, they may be trying to improve on putting and chipping.
The Good
Anaheim's special teams looked much better than they have recently. Yes, the winner was scored during a PK, but for the rest of the man down time, the Ducks looked strong. Additionally, their power play moved the puck fairly well, albeit there were only two man advantage chances.
It was good to see Jared Boll go mano y mano with fellow heavyweight Cody McCloud after the latter responded to Boll's hit on Harry Zolnierczyk. The quarter asked, no quarter given, that is playoff hockey.
Nashville took a few runs at Ducks goalie John Gibson. The young man held tough for guy that doesn't like too much contact. He made 38 saves on 40 shots.
Ducks @ Nashville: Round 3, Game 4
A win tonight in enemy territory will even the series and bring home ice advantage back to the Ducks. Obviously, the Ducks must improve on keeping control of the puck, but in order to beat a goalie of Pekka Rinne's caliber, they will need to get more than 20 shots on goal. Also, they need to cash in on the opportunities they do have (cough, Corey Perry).
Each of the first three game could have gone either way. It is unlikely that there will be a lineup change for tonight's contest.
Forwards Ritchie-Getzlaf-Perry Cogliano-Kesler-Silfverberg Rakell-Vermette-Kase Wagner-Thompson-Boll
Defensemen Fowler-Vatanen Lindholm-Montour Theodore-Manson
Goalies Gibson Bernier
Personal Thought
I rarely react to celebrity deaths, especially musicians. I chalk up early demises to byproducts of the lifestyle they lead. I was deeply saddened by the news of Chris Cornell's passing this morning. Whether he was fronting Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave or going solo, I loved his music. Today, I am “short on words, but long on things to say.… #FellOnBlackDays