Ducks vs Oilers Game 7 BEST/WORST: Yeaaaaaa (Ritch) Boiiiiiii

Best: Honda Center Crowd

If you were at the game tonight, give yourself a huge pat on the back. We, as a collective fan base, were all feeling a conflicting blend of sporadic nausea and uncomfortable numbness. But, even when the Ducks were trailing, you kept them in it with your positive vibes and noise. Let’s not get quite all CBJ on it but you were indeed the “5th line” or perhaps a more logical and apt description - the black ace.

Worst: Allowing The First Goal

Sure, Theodore made a terrible play in front of his own goaltender. But, given the goal was scored by pile-driving Gibby back into the crease, it is the kind of goal that opposing fan-bases criticize the Ducks of getting away with so I guess its karma that it should happen to us in a game 7. Still - shitty way to start. Next time you win a game 7 Ducks, can you score first and then just pile it on from there? That would be awesome, thanks.

Best: Playing Duck Hockey

Apart from Gibby still looking shaky at times in the first - the rest of the team was in the zone and making crisp passes, finishing hits and always in the right position to get to loose pucks. I don't know what kind of influence Carlyle has vs BB, but it clearly works. With relentless pressure throughout the entirety of the second period, the Ducks never took their foot off the gas. If they play this way throughout the rest of the next series they could have possibly unlocked God mode.

Worst: Wake Up Kesler

I was going to complain about the broadcast not giving the Ducks any love and mostly salivating over McDavid in a borderline creepy way, but then realized that they tend to sponsor our game threads so um. Hey Kesler! Wake up! You havent really done much these playoffs except look vaguely disinterested. At least look pissed off every once in a while.

Best: Kase & Line Shuffling

You don’t need Corsi to know Kase makes any line he pairs with better and tonight showed that. Combine his powers with Rakell to form of the ultimate Kase-Rakell Voltron and even Vermette was made to look like a scoring threat at times. Kase was everywhere at once and was one of the Ducks; best forwards throughout the night. Carlyle shuffling Rakell down to the third and putting Ritchie up to the first to allow him to create space for Getzlaf was something that possibly should have happened earlier had Kase been healthy. But kudos to Carlyle.

Honorable Mention Best: Jared Boll

Actually played good? Or maybe it was because everyone else out there was either playing in varying degrees of hurt and/or sick and he was the only one healthy that hadnt played in like 2 weeks but he was actually noticeably good!

Honorable Mention Worst: Perry Cant Get A Call

We get that he has a reputation, but how many times does he have to have his stick slashed in plain view of an official before it gets called? Was it because you didn't want to give Anaheim a 5 on 3 and hear it from the Oiler faithful who feel you unfairly gifted the Ducks game 5? Or did we as a fan base not pay you enough?

3 Stars

3) Andrew Cogliano

2) Brandon Montour

1) Ondrej Kase