Chicago

Ducks Look to Seize 2-0 Series Lead vs. Blackhawks Tuesday

The Anaheim Ducks have yet to drop a game on home ice during this postseason, and they will look to continue that run of success on Tuesday night as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.

Sunday’s Game 1 victory saw a bit of everything for the Ducks, with Frederik Andersen playing his best game of the postseason and several under-the-radar players stepping up into big roles for the team. Players like Jakub Silfverberg, who had a goal and an assist, and Nate Thompson, who also had two points in the victory, stepped up even as star players like Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf were largely held silent in the game.

In addition to the offensive push that they got from their bottom six forwards, the Ducks also executed their defensive strategy almost flawlessly in the victory. Every time the Blackhawks would bring the puck into the offensive zone, at least two Ducks players would collapse in near the net and prevent shot attempts from getting through. To add to the effectiveness, the team also had their remaining forwards stay out near the point, aggressively forechecking and preventing the Hawks from making the cross-ice passes necessary to get Anaheim over-rotating at the bottom of their formation.

That approach didn’t always work, as the Blackhawks did get some quality scoring chances from some of their key contributors like Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp, but for the most part it really helped keep Chicago at bay. They are a team that thrives on being able to possess the puck and move it around the zone at will, so having to deal with Anaheim’s physicality and defensive strategy really seemed to throw them off in Game 1.

As the two teams get back together, the Ducks’ gameplan should remain somewhat similar to their Game 1 strategy. Forcing the Blackhawks to play a perimeter-based game is certainly the way to go, as that will prevent rebound opportunities that could find Andersen out of position in the crease. Their bottom six forwards will also be looked at heavily in this game, as players like Marcus Kruger and Jonathan Toews are excellent at clamping down on the top two lines as part of the Hawks’ defensive system.

If there is one thing that the Ducks need to clean up, it’s ensuring that their physicality doesn’t leave them susceptible to counter-attack. The Blackhawks have a couple of tremendous puck movers on their blue line, with guys like Johnny Oduya and Duncan Keith both able to kick start the Hawks’ transition offense with precision stretch passes. If the Ducks get too focused on hammering the Blackhawks with body checks, then they could leave themselves vulnerable to that kind of attack.

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