Posts Tagged ‘Saku Koivu’

Wings beat Ducks

Posted: 05/13/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Wings won because of their foot speed and ability to get to the loose pucks. They got to the loose pucks, took control and won. We had plenty of opportunities to put them away and we just didn’t finish.

Yes we missed Toni Lydman but one guy isn’t the reason you lose a series. We lost because we didn’t put them away sooner. The longer the series went their confidence went up and we seemed frozen in time and space. We had no response. Detroit elevated their game and we didn’t. As a team we didn’t have it to elevate.

One look at the plus/minus screams foot speed on the blue line is a serous issue. Beauchemin, Souray and Sbisa our 3 weakest skaters were each minus-2 on the series. Our better skaters, Fowler (3), Lovejoy (4), Allen (1) and Lydman (1) were each on the plus side.

I really don’t want to wade deep into the weeds but essentially the Wings won because we couldn’t skate with them. Everything else, their puck possession, passing and positioning, came off their skating and ability to win faceoffs and be first on those precious loose pucks.

One of the things I didn’t notice until Game 7 was how Detroit was beating us in the low slot.  They were getting two guys down low. One guy positioned on the top of the crease to screen Hiller. A second was roaming 3-6 feet out and picking up those loose pucks and rebounds.

Many unknowingly and incorrectly blame Hiller for those rebounds but that is not how hockey is taught or played at elite levels. The goalie is responsible for making the first save. It’s the job of the skaters to either get on the rebound or tie up the opposition so that they don’t get second and third shots. The only bad goal in tonight’s game was Filppula’s.

One thing our Ducks gave us this year is hope. For the first time since the Pronger trade and the retirement of Scot Niedermayer our Ducks appear to be getting better instead of worse.

The immediate future looks very bright. Emerson Etem and Kyle Palmieri are obviously keepers. Pending UFA’s Ben Lovejoy and Dave Steckel will probably be resigned. Steckel could join Winnick and Cogliano on the checking line. Nick Bonino won himself a center spot this season. Rickard Rakell and Peter Holland will compete for the other spot.

Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan can be expected to bounce back from off years and poor playoff performances.

There are only three, maybe four roster changes I see going into next season.

Luca Sbisa will be challenged to keep his spot by Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. Luca has four of the five skills necessary to play the game at the NHL level. His ability to read, pickup or see a play developing and properly react to it is questionable.

Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu represent difficult decisions because both could be tempted to return for the Olympics. Though it isn’t at all certain that either could win and hold their Ducks job against the up and coming kids next season. I’d much rather see each of them move on their own terms rather than be pushed out.

Sheldon Souray’s lack of foot speed became exposed as the season wore on and certainly in the playoffs. He could be, actually should be, bought out. He’s another guy who I have too much respect for to watch get pushed aside. Watching Rob Niedermayer get the hook and be told he couldn’t play anymore was sad. It’s understandable that some guys just won’t come off the ice until you shoot ‘em and drag ‘em off. I just think it’s sad to pull the trigger.

So I’d much rather see Teemu, Saku and Sheldon leave now before younger guys push them out.

Ducks next job is cleaning out their lockers and exit interviews. It was a tough year for a few players. There will no doubt be some retirements and maybe a buyout over the summer. Our next task is preparing for the draft where our Ducks will 22nd overall. Definitely not high enough to snag a player likely to help immediately.

One goal and just that quick our Ducks move from the hockey season to the financial season. Our attention turns from the ice to the front office.

For me, I’ll share with you on this thread before taking some time off.

Let the chess game begin

Posted: 05/01/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Ducks checking line is as improbable as the players who comprise u it. Two small skill guys and a journeyman grinder. When the line is most effective, Andrew Cogliano uses warp speed to provide the pressure up ice. Saku Koivu patrols the center lane from slot to slot. Journeyman Daniel Winnick is a travelin’ man delivering punishing checks and challenging physical battles around the wall.

Drawing the daunting assignment of dogging Detroit’s two best players this unlikely trio not only kept Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterburg off the score sheet but reduced Datsyuk to just one and Zetterburg to only three shots on Jonas Hiller.

On many shifts the Ducks checking line hemmed the Wings best deep in their own zone. How they do their work is a bit comical actually. Off the puck, Koivu and Cogliano are the pressure forwards who force the opposition to Winnick’s wall. When they have the puck, breaking up the Saku and Cogs cycle is like catching butterflys without a net or fishing with just your hands.

So thoroughly did the unsung trio shadow Detroit’s stars they reduced Coach Mike Babcock to complaining about the inability of his D to move the puck. This poses quite a challenge to the former Ducks coach. Does he breakup his Eurotwins or adjust the system?

Actually Babcock directed a lot of Plan B, whip it around the net break outs to no avail, to chips along the wall. He went to the so-called stretch pass, sending the mail from deep in the Wings zone high into the neutral zone. Time after time Ducks players, most notably Saku, Cogs or Winnie saw that one coming with anticipation and reads reminiscent of Wayne Gretzky.

So thorough was the Ducks defensive scheme that the Wings committed 13 giveaways compared to averaging just 4.7 giveaways per game during the season.

Datsyuk and Zetterburg got healthy and hot down the stretch. Along with goaltender Jimmy Howard they powered the Wings into the playoffs.

So what is the Detroit coach to do next? Look for him to breakup the Eurotwins in game two. He has to get one of them, most likely Zetterburg, away from the Koivu line.

If it doesn’t work, Babs will surely find his Wings down 2-0. At that point the Wings tactician will reunite them and use the home team’s last change to get his offensive stars away from Anaheim’s most unlikely checking line.

Our Ducks did more than win a game last night. They sent the Wings back to the quiet study of the video room.

 

Pregame 1: Updates

Posted: 04/29/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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#NHLDucks D Luca Sbisa (lower body) reported feeling good after going thru full practice and hopes to be available for Game 1 tomorrow.

Look for Ducks to split up Francois Beauchemin and Sheldon Souray. Fowler will play w/Beauchemin while Souray will be w/Lovejoy for Game 1.

BB wouldn’t get into it but there’s a feeling Fowler’s speed alongside Beauchemin could work better against Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Analysis: Separating Souray/Beauchemin makes sense. Genuine concern about Souray matching up against DAZzle Line of Datsyuk-Abdelkader-Zetterburg. Souray is a fine hockey player but he lacks the quick feet necessary to move with the DAZzle Line.
Ice’ followup post confirms this analysis.

Given Dan Woods tweet the 3rd pairing will be two of Allen, Lydman, Sbisa and Vatanen. My preference is Allen-Vatanen.

@SlashSkater At this point, I’d guess Allen and Lydman, but that could change, especially if Sbisa were ready to go.

Dan Sexton traded to Tampa Bay Lightning

Posted: 03/11/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Okay big whoop. The kid we affectionately tagged “Big Sexy” turned out to be a career minor leaguer. He deserves a footnote rather than a post.

Except I can’t get out of my head those 20 or so games when he stood in for an injured Teemu Selanne, alongside Saku Koivu and Bobby Ryan and helped keep our Ducks advancing. Many of us thought he might be at least part of the answer to the long sought after secondary scoring dilemma that challenged Ducks management.

Jeez, I compared him to Martin St. Louis. Then again, I’m a sucker for a good underdog story.

But the play I’ll always remember Dan Sexton for fondly was the game in which he tied up Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard in knots, deked the big enforcer out of his shorts, twisted him up like a big pretzel and moved the puck out of our zone. Just like he was Andrew Cogliano. Embarrassed at being made to look foolish, Boogaard went after Big Sexy and Ducks D-man Nick Boynton stepped in and obliged him. No doubt saving Big Sexy from certain harm,  unless of course Boogaard might have never touched him. Sexton is just that quick.

Sexton will get a chance with a new org that has had enjoyed success with smaller men in the lineup. He may forever be a career minor league player but one I’ll remember fondly.

In a trade of players needing a change of scenery Ducks got back 28-year-old 6’2″ 200# center Kyle Wilson.

Notes: Ducks have recalled Patrick Maroon and Devante Smith-Pelly from Norfolk. Former Duck Steve Montador has been placed on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks. If Monty clears waivers his next stop will be ‘Hawks minor league affiliate in Rockford.

Ducks believe at mid-season – Part I

Posted: 03/11/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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At the mid-point you have to say that 18-3-3 is no longer a great start. It’s a great half-season. In an 82 game schedule our Ducks would be just rounding the quarter pole. The season is different. It’s a sprint rather than a grind.

At the team barbecue last summer Ryan Getzlaf talked about it taking a team to win. On the day he signed his new contract Bob Murray talked about how Getz has grown into the role of captain. No doubt Ryan Getzlaf is now showing the promise of realized potential. If it weren’t for that pesky Sidney Crosby, Getz would or should be the leading Hart/MVP candidate.

As he said himself, it takes a team to win. While Ryan Getzlaf is the most dominant force our send over the boards, he is only part of what makes this Ducks team the most successful, in terms of won/lost record.

The goaltending tandem of Jonas Hiller and Viktor Fasth have kept our Ducks in games and given them a chance to win every time out.

“It’s a 180 degree turn from last season,” Hiller noted, “Last year we played not to lose. This season we’re playing to win.”

Playing to win is an attitude missing from our Ducks since the 2009-10 season. That Cup team had a swagger to it. This team is more humble. It’s a quiet confidence reinforced by the belief in a record of 18-3-3 and trust in your teammates.

Our Ducks Cup team played aggressive in your face hockey. As the brash Chris Pronger said of opposing teams and their fans, “(We like to) Send ‘em home cryyyyying.” This team issues a “Show us what you’ve got” challenge then proceed to pick the opposition apart with quick strikes before working the clock and shutting down the opposition.

Getzlaf calls it boring hockey. Purists would agree. To fans, winning is never boring.

Corey Perry deflected the temptation to “think bigger” when prodded by OCR beat reporter Eric Stephens. “I think we take it one game at a time. I mean we’re at the half-way point and we still have a lot of hockey left. If we keep continuing to play the way we are, we’re going to put ourselves in a good position.”

Perry added, “We play our system. Everyone in here knows what’s going on, what they’re role is and adapting to it.”  That sounds remarkably close to Ryan Getzlaf’s summer, “It takes a team” mantra.

Probably the guy most responsible for our ducks newly earned self-confidence is coach Bruce Boudreau. Upon arriving in December of 2011 “Gabby” found a room disheartened as though the life had been sucked out of it, as one former Duck described it.

Coach knew the team had the top end talent to compete with anybody. He set out to find out if the team had the necessary complimentary and supporting role players. Immediately the new coach set about to rolling four lines and spread the TOI more evenly throughout the lineup. Nothing changed in that first month as our Ducks continued to lose. Then along about Christmas of 2011, starting with Saku Koivu and Jonas Hiller and spreading one by one throughout the roster our Ducks began to buy into the new program.

The team went on an incredible run that ended with a thud the moment the trade deadline came and went.

During the financial season GM Bob Murray set about to make our Ducks more like the Big Bad Ducks of the Brian Burke era. The incoming included the underrated Daniel Winnick, a rejuvenated Sheldon Souray, match-up specialist Bryan Allen and enforcer Brad Staubitz.

The last main ingredient is the infusion of youth that Bob Murray either drafted or acquired by trade. The maturation of Nick Bonino and Matt Beleskey as reliable and trusted everyday players, is complimented by the breakthrough of Kyle Palmieri. Luca Sbisa seems to have discovered the secret to consistency. The shuttle from Anaheim to Norfolk is paying dividends as prospects such as Emerson Etem, Peter Holland and Pat Maroon have exhibited measurable growth with every trip to and from.

In part two I’ll take you through the change in the system. An excellent primer is to start here, where Scott Cullen uses advance stats to prove that center lane drives, or carrying the puck over the blue line results in measurably more shots and scoring chances than the dump, chase and cycle attack.

 

Ducks wear down Blues 4-2

Posted: 03/10/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Ryan Getzlaf described it well, “We played a boring game. We made them work and tired them out.” Good plan considering it was the Blues third match in four nights and second of back to back road games.

If that was the plan it sure fooled most onlookers as the Blues clearly won the first period, exiting the ice with a 1-0 lead. Jonas Hiller stood tall allowing only a pinball type careen, carrom and deflection finally credited to Ryan Reeves.

Ducks were unable to capitalize on a 5 on 3 PP but did get the equalizer when Emerson Etem chipped one ahead that sent Andrew Cogliano in alone on Halak.  Even though the penalty calls benefited our Ducks it was another example of the NHL providing totally incompetent officials. The blind mice tonight were Dan O’Halloran and Kyle Rehman.

Patrik Berglund put the Blues back up at 1:41 of the third as he skated down the LW and fired one that deflected off Toni Lydman and beat Hiller short side.

Ducks would get a bounce at 3:11 when Francois Beauchemin let go a blast from the point that rebounded off the backside of Ryan Getzlaf and into the wheelhouse of Bobby Ryan who promptly buried it past a stunned Jaroslav Halak.

Our Ducks took over from there. About 2 minutes after Ryan’s goal, Corey Perry got is stick on a Ryan Getzlaf shot that earned our guys their first lead of the night. Getz was originally awarded the goal but lobbied the Refs to give it to Pears. Who luvs ya Corey!

Ducks then worked the clock until Perry got his second of the night, an EN with 40 seconds remaining that put the game out of reach.

It was our Ducks 11th consecutive home victory, tying the record set by the 2009-10 Ducks. Francois Beauchemin had 3 assists and Ryan Getzlaf two helpers.

Saku Koivu was great in the FO winning 14 of 21 for a 67% winning rate. Ducks combined were 32 of 67 for a 48% win rate.

Nick Bonino was late scratch with the flu. Coach had him on the bench in the first period so as not tip Blues coach Ken Hitchcock that we were playing with a man short.

Ducks now hit the road for games beginning Wednesday against the Wild, Stars and finish the trip in St. Louis.

Postgame: Anaheim 5 Detroit 2

Posted: 02/15/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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One marker in a successful season is when a team begins to do things it hasn’t done of late. In other words, successful teams begin exorcise their demons. Until tonight our Ducks hadn’t won a game in Detroit since February 10, 2008. Our Ducks teams have been a woeful 2-25-1 in our last 28 games at the Joe.

As has begun to define these Ducks in this special season it was a come from behind win. Jimmy Howard stood on his ear while stopping 14 Ducks shots in the first twenty minutes of play. The Red Wings responded with six shots. The difference, eight shots, is indicative of the wide territorial advantage our Ducks earned throughout the game. Howard was particularly sharp while robbing Ryan Getzlaf point-blank with a stunning glove save.

Detroit scored first at 3:01 of the second when Joakim Anderson wristed one over Viktor Fasth’s elbow. Our Ducks responded 26 ticks later when Matt Beleskey took a no look behind the back feed from Ryan Getzlaf and blew one past Howard.

Ducks continued to press but Howard stood tall. With Peter Holland in the sin bin for delay of game, Tomas Tatar swung into a juicy rebound that rested six feet out center slot.  Detroit’s second lead would last for 1:05 when a Matt Beleskey rebound deflected off a Detroit player’s broken stick that Corey Perry snagged and tucked in around a sprawling Jimmy Howard. It was Perry’s first goal in regulation or overtime in twelve games.

The second would end locked at 2 all.

The no quit Ducks continued to press in the third and got rewarded for the efforts.  At 1:02 Andrew Cogliano tipped in a slick Saku Koivu for his third goal in three straight games. Forty-eight seconds later Bobby Ryan went to his to paste his own rebound through the Detroit netminder.

Ducks then went to work on the clock. They frustrated Detroit by getting to and controlling loose pucks, intercepting first pass after first pass forcing the Red Wings to play deep in its own end.

Andrew Cogliano put the game out of reach when Ryan Getzlaf forced a neutral zone turnover and Corey Perry pushed the puck to Cogs who turned on the jets creating space between himself and Wings defender Niklas Kronwall before scoring into the open net.

The game might have been a laffer if not for the heroic play of Wings goalie Jimmy Howard.

Our Ducks take their 4-1 road trip record into Nashville for the final game of Anaheim’s longest away stretch of the season.

Postgame: Ducks 6 Blues 5 (SO)

Posted: 02/09/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Mama said there’d be games like this. Ducks looked done like dinner as the Blues virtually owned them through the first twenty minutes. Our guys were stationary as the Blues got to all the loose pucks. St. Louis got second, third and fourth chances on Fasth.

Emerson Etem was called for tripping at 5:01 which allowed St. Louis to best the NHL’s best PP on display. A minute and change later Alexander Steen sent a seeing eye shot that went 5-hole through the screened Viktor Fasth.

Bobby Ryan got that one back on a wrist shot from about 30 feet out that totally handcuffed Brian Elliot. It was also Ducks first shot on goal and came at 11:09 of the first. It seemed far too little though as the Blues continued to dominate and took a two goal lead on goals by David Backes and David Perron.

Ducks fortunes fared better in the second as they earned significant offensive zone time. Coach began to juggle his lines and once again the tinkering paid off. The score remained 3-1 until the Ducks exploded for the 3 goals in 1:41. First Selanne scored after Ryan dug the puck off the far boards and fed Koivu in the face-off circle. Koivu fired and the rebound went to Selanne who easily lifted one behind Elliot. Andrew Cogliano netted his first of the season with help from Nick Bonino and Daniel Winnick. Bobby Ryan’s second of the night put our Ducks in front 4-3.

The scoring binge continued through the third as the Blues got goals from T.J. Oshie and Chris Stewart on the PP. Saku Koivu responded for our Ducks and the game went to overtime.

The Mardi Gras night fans were to get their money worth as the game went to a shoot out. The extra point wasn’t settled until Nick Bonino scored in the 6th round.

Following the game Blues coach Ken Hitchcock announced that Jake Allen would start St. Louis next game on Monday unless Jaroslav Halak is cleared the to play by the medical staff.

Our Ducks record goes to 8-2-1. The guys get 3 days to re-hydrate and mend the welts before they take their act into Chicago Tuesday night. And yeah this is one emotionally exhausted blogger right now.

Postgame: Ducks 3 Avs 0

Posted: 02/06/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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In four games Viktor Fasth is 4-0, .962 SP and 0.98 GAA and oh yeah 1 SO. Tonight was about him. The fast Avs weren’t Fasth enough. yeah, bad, eh. OC Register columnist Mark Whicker called our Ducks the Fasth and Furious. Get used to it. We’ll have Fasth puns all season.

The upshot is this could have been a something to 3 loss if not for Fasth. The Ducks did not play their best game but skated off the ice with two points. After 4 games there is now a book on Fasth. Look for him to be genuinely challenged going forward.

Coach Boudreau flat-out said, “It’s good to win the first game of a road trip. but we’re going to have to play better to win anymore.”

Kyle Palmieri had a goal taken away by the review committee. He and T raced to the net. As Selanne drew the Avs D in his direction and backhanded a dish across the flow that Palmieri snapped toward the net. The replay clearly shows Varlamov caught the puck over the goal line. Still the review committee called it inclusive.

As the Ducks continue to show more discipline our guys will earn more favorable calls. Tonight we got a 5 0n 3. In the third Chuck Kobesaw speared Sheldon Souray in the thigh. Souray retaliated and surprisingly both went off. Usually Refs miss the initial infraction and call the retaliation.

The Ducks got on the board first 6:20 into the game when Sheldon Souray blasted a Ryan Getzlaf feed for his third of the season.
Saku Koivu buried another lucky bounce coming off the stick Avs defender Greg Zanon. Selanne and Souray were awarded assists on the play. For T it is  #750 tying Larry Robinson at 41st All Time.
Midway through the second Francois Beauchemin completed a tic tac toe passing play with Koivu and Winnick.

From there the Ducks played eat the clock. Avs pressed and Ducks did get more chances but Varlamov was sharp which kept the game interesting.

Notes: Ducks head to Dallas for a tilt Friday with the Stars. Coach has a few decisions to make, not the least of which is which goalie starts. Does he go with the hot hand or get some Hiller some work?

Sami Vatanen is going to be a fine NHL hockey player but he is also going to get burned a few times before he learns when to pick his spots. Luckily, Colorado didn’t make him pay tonight. And yeah, it was good Bryan Allen played a steady game alongside the gifted rookie.

In a pregame interview with Dan Woods, Corey Perry admitted that his timing isn’t quite right yet. Corey said he feels like would coming out of camp. Right now he’s going against a lot of guys who played in Europe. Look for Pears to start light it up within 5 games.

Ducks are beginning to get national hockey media attention. Pierre Lebrun watched the game and tweeted numerously about Fasth. Kevin Weekes says our Ducks are for real.

Postgame: Canucks 5 Ducks Zip

Posted: 01/25/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Cory Schneider through a shutout. Dan Sedin had the winning goal and an assist. Henrik Sedin registered two assists.

Ducks were absolutely dominant even strength. Schneider stood off the onslaught.

About the middle of the first Canucks got under the skin of our guys. We started grumbling and parade to the sin bin began. Ducks were called for 9 minor penalties, Canucks just 3. I saw at least four minors that Canucks committed but weren’t called.

Not sure why it is but our Ducks start complaining and wham, we’re on a parade to the sin bin. I don’t know what is said or why the so-called professional refs react that way. Fact is, it’s on our guys. We bring it on ourselves. You have to be on the ice to hear it exactly. Obviously though, we push too far.

Brian Hayward, as he so often does, said it best, “When you fall behind 2-0, you don’t start punching people in the head and yelling at the ref. You tidy up the things that you’re doing.”

“In all we gave them 14 minutes of PP time,” said Bruce Boudreau following the game.

Canucks deserve credit. Their three PP goals came on the same play. Two were passes through Hiller’s crease, from his glove to stick side. The third was across the top of the crease, glove to stick side. Hazy pointed out that those passes are especially difficult for a goalie to deflect or corral. It isn’t just the goalie but he is main guy responsible for the puck anytime it’s in his crease. The two D-men are equally responsible though. One for not covering the passing lane. The other for letting a guy get the one-timer off after the pass beat two of his teammates.

It’s BackCheck’s Rule, you can always identify at least two mistakes on a play before the puck goes in.

The good news is that we face Nashville tomorrow night. We have to get this game behind us quickly.

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