Ducks Unusual Suspects Muzzle Coyotes 6-2
by Jen Neale on Jan 18, 2012 11:32 PM PST
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So let me get this straight. The Coyotes scored first. The Ducks tied it up and added another goal. Phoenix proceeded to tie it once again and the Ducks went on to score four unanswered goals. Oh and the first five goals were scored by everyone except for the first line or Teemu Selanne? Giiiirl you must be trippin'. This isn't the 2011-12 Anaheim Ducks, I know. Those Ducks would have hung their head Debbie Downer-style and allowed the 'Yotes to pluck their lifeless body feather-by-feather until a sad, naked duck remained. (It's been a long day.)
I don't get them. I'm not unhappy that they won by any means, but what the hell took them so long to get to this point? Did Boudreau's positivity and system finally sink in? Did Bob Murray's threats actually scare the players into competing? And for the love of all that is holy, is Jason Blake seriously the linchpin that is the key to this group's success? Too many questions for one game recap, but it is something to ponder as the season continues to roll along.
GOOD!
-- 6th win in the last 7 games. 4th straight win at home. So it is possible to put together something other than a massive point-less or losing streak!
-- All 6 goals came from players on all four lines. 5 of the 6 goals came from lines 2-4. Depth scoring is possible? Depth scoring is possible!
-- Hayward and Ahlers deemed the 3rd line the "BBC Line" for Jason Blake, Nick Bonino and Andrew Cogliano. In the past 4 games, that line has been a plus-11. Tonight we got 6 points from that line. I am completely perplexed, but in a good way.
-- If I can quote one of my favorite games on SNES to describe Corey Perry, I would refer to NBA Jamz and the statement, "He's heating up!" (If you were a kid in the early 90's, you'll get that.) This is the time of year when Perry turned on the rocket boosters. It's too much to ask him to score another 3904820 goals to carry the team once again, but I do look at it as a positive sign. And damn, did he ever make that short handed goal look easy.
-- Francois Beauchemin continues to be a beast. 2 goals, 1 assist, plus-3, 25 minutes of ice time, 3 hits, and 2 blocked shots. The beginning of this season was pretty bad for Beauch (and everything else Ducks related), but he has flipped the switch. He is lethal. I've heard rumblings about trading him at the deadline. Should the Ducks continue their winning ways, that would be a crazy move and had better yield a bigger return. I'm not even going to start thinking about how contract negotiations are going to go over the summer.
-- I love that the Ducks are finally being an offensive threat and are still throwing the body around. The Ducks out hit the Coyotes 27 to 19. Ryan Getzlaf and Toni Lydman tied for team highs with 5 hits each, followed by Luca Sbisa and Sheldon Brookbank with 4 each and Bobby Ryan with 3.
BAD
-- It's hard to criticize a 6-2 win, but I will say of what I saw, it wasn't pretty. The Ducks leaned on Jonas Hiller (who was stellar once again) more than necessary and even had to save their own asses milliseconds before a puck crossed the goal line.
-- 4 shots in the second period.
UGLY
-- Time Warner Cable! The cable in my apartment complex went out for the entire first intermission, the entire second period and intermission, and the first half of the third period. I had to use my imagination while listening to the game on my laptop.
**See some of you knuckleheads tomorrow night at Casino Night. Come say 'hi' if you see me. I'll be the one with blonde hair in the white dress**
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Should say...
“had to save their own asses milliseconds before a puck crossed the goal line twice”
The first one was a great play by Sbisa. The second was Brookbank being in the right place at the right time. Had those played happened earlier in the season, they both would have been goals, so maybe it shouldn’t be under bad now that the Ducks are finally getting a few breaks.
Fight on!
EMAW!
yep.
while i understand hes not really the catalyst for whats happened, i like the coincidental nature of his return just enough to say “i told you so”
but more to the point, i like his play, and if we could resign him for cheap i dont think it would be the end of the world.
by BennyLightning on Jan 19, 2012 5:17 PM PST up reply actions
There are definitely some pros you can make for him to return next year, but I don’t think it’s warranted. As much as I like his play lately with Cogs and Bonino, how many times since his arrival has he given us headaches? He was eating at the cap really up until this point in his tenure with the Ducks (half a year left in his contract).
Without him occupying a spot on this roster, who knows how far and along someone like Palmieri, McMillan or Beleskey could have come? It’s because of Blake that those guys never really got a real shot on the left wing and had the time to develop properly. If I was Bob, I would thank Blake for all the time he has given the organization and then let him walk.
yes yes i understand, and its something thats been discussed before.
but right now, while the team is winning (for good or bad) im just going to bask in the stubby little excellence that is blake
by BennyLightning on Jan 19, 2012 8:01 PM PST up reply actions
Sexton is the “I told you so” that I’m looking forward too.
As for Blake, he almost ruined that shift where Cogs set up Beauchy for the game winner, because he wouldn’t give up the puck. Blake holds onto the puck too much. His finishes recently seem to be the result of good set ups rather than good shooting. Although, I know he sniped somebody in this four goal streak he’s on.
At the end of the day, Blake is in the way. That will be even more apparent when Devo comes back.
by Daniel AC on Jan 20, 2012 6:26 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
In my opinion, this might be the most complete effort from the guys since the 09-10 season. Last year was good, yes, but the Ducks rode Perry, Teemu and Lubo to the post-season. Right now, everyone is scoring, something that hasn’t been seen since Murray took over. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
Totally agree with this assessment. The Ducks may have made the playoffs last year, but their last-minute regular season heroics left them totally exhausted by the time the playoffs began. They had nothing to give Nashville in the WCQF.
by light_the_lamp on Jan 19, 2012 10:01 AM PST up reply actions
Agreed. I also think that although the scoring was exhausted once they got into the post-season, I believe that among all the late-game heroics and winning streaks, Carlyle let the guys become complacent. I had the feeling that when the Ducks entered the Nashville series, they were very satisfied with their regular season effort, and had no drive to do and achieve more.
Enter Boudreau, who after the team has their first successful streak of good hockey this season, tells the guys not to be complacent. We keep winning. Boy I’m really starting to love this team.
I really think Bruce is the right guy to take the Ducks into the future. He is the right coach at the right time and with the talent coming up in the next few years, there is no reason we cant contend with the top teams in the Pacific.
by Newport Rebel on Jan 19, 2012 1:53 PM PST up reply actions
Great balance.
vs. NYI: Ryan 2G
vs. CBJ: Perry 3G, Teemu 2G
vs. DAL: Koivu 3G
@ EDM: Perry 2G
@ VAN: Blake 2G
vs. PHX: Beauchemin 2G
I guess it’s Getzlaf’s turn against Ottawa?
Maybe, he’s more of an assist guy. His overall game has been good though. Shame Blake couldn’t finish that great chance Getzie set him up for.
That was a beautiful pass by Getzy last night. Same goes for some of his passes that helped the Ducks clear the zone.
And although I realize he’s more of an assist guy, I think he can become a goal-scorer whenever he wants. He has one of the best shots on the team, and I think to try and get RPG to break the cycle a little more often, Gabby will start asking Getzy to shoot the puck. If he does that, then we’re a better team than we are now, which is remarkable.
“And although I realize he’s more of an assist guy, I think he can become a goal-scorer whenever he wants.”
I used to think that too, but that beauty of a pass from Perry to Getz that Getz took his sweet time to release got me thinking…I don’t think he can be a goal scorer whenever he wants. I think Getz needs too much time. If you look at the goals he’s scored he has PLENTY of time to set up the shot, bring the puck back and fire it right where he wants it. Guys that are goal scorers (ahem excuse the Ahlers term) catch and release real fast and they use their instincts to score goals. The don’t need a whole lot of time and space…it’s good, but not necessary.
So I think we should expect that Getzy will be a great assist guy. For great passes you can create your own time and space and he has great passing instincts. My 2 cents…
I think Getz’s shot is so overpowering that he should never try to pick a spot. It Should be like when Fulton Reed lines up a slapper, people should just duck out of the way. Either way, if he just let’s it fly good things will probably happen. Either, he simply finds a hole in the goalie or gets a good enough chance that Bobby and Corey can go in for rebounds.
by Daniel AC on Jan 19, 2012 12:45 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Agree with Daniel
Getz has a dirty shot! And yes he takes his sweet time to hit the post.. Getz needs to shoot the puck more often for this reason.. Coaches and teams (Kings, Nash, Detroit, Boston, Chicago) have great defensive teams.. If you want to shut down a productive line.. You take out the facilitator.. Don’t give him space and he wont be able to pass it to perry, bobby, and/or whomever else is on the line.. If he shoots he creates more space for himself.. But we’ll see he might be saving it for the final push or playoffs… PLAYOFFS!?
by ShamuSalami on Jan 19, 2012 1:14 PM PST via iPhone app up reply actions
AH but what he SHOULD do and what he WILL (or is more naturally willing) to do are two very different things. It’s like saying I’d be a better white person if I weren’t Filipino ;-) (Well kinda) It’s just not gonna happen. Getz will always be naturally inclined to wait and take that perfect shot. That’s why he won’t be a goal scorer…
I don’t think so. As you can see with Earl’s last gameday post, Getzlaf only had 2 less shots than Bobby Ryan but 8 fewer goals. Shooting just isn’t his primary game.
If you imagine a salt shaker in your hand, tilt your head back
and act like you're shaking salt into your mouth; you will taste salt if you concentrate hard enough.
It’s definitely not his primary game, but it could be a better part of his game. I think he needs to just get more on net as quickly as possible to generate more rebound chances. We need to convince him that shooting is just a different kind of passing.
PUT IT IN THE PADS, GETZIE!!!!
by Daniel AC on Jan 20, 2012 6:32 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
the problem is, that Getzlaf is that damn good with the puck that he will hit the pads every freakin time ….
New Ducks video.
Here’s a few clips of Bobby, George and Gabby speaking after practice today.
Spoiler: It’s very evident that George loves getting more ice-time. He seems firmly entrenched with Boudreau’s beliefs (not being complacent, being hungry, etc.).
Can we get Hags under a new contract already?
by Newport Rebel on Jan 20, 2012 11:12 AM PST up reply actions
I think Saku comes back but Teemu its 50/50 or worse. It will depend on how this season ends and what Teemu has left in the tank. If he gets hurt at any point this season, he could be done. If he finishes on a high note, then its a 50/50
by Newport Rebel on Jan 20, 2012 1:54 PM PST up reply actions
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