Ducks vs. Blackhawks: Three Key Players to an Anaheim Victory

The Anaheim Ducks got what they came for Thursday as they wrested home ice advantage back from the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. Now, they're playing with house money as they look to take a stranglehold on the series in Game 4 Saturday night.

The Ducks, who have only lost twice so far in the postseason and only once on the road, are looking to grab a 3-1 series lead in this contest, and doing so would put them firmly in the driver’s seat as the series shifts back to Anaheim for Game 5 on Monday night.

Before they hit the ice and try to accomplish that goal, we highlight three players who will need to step up in order to make that dream a reality.

Cam Fowler

The Ducks’ defensive corps was derided for its lack of star power in some circles before this series began, but no one is laughing now as the team has for the most part kept the Blackhawks at bay in jumping out to a 2-1 series lead.

A big part of that success has been the play of Fowler. He was in fine form on Thursday night when the Ducks won Game 3 at the United Center, one of the few players on the team with positive possession numbers. He was rewarded with a secondary assist for his efforts.

If the Ducks are going to win the game Saturday, they will need a similar effort out of the defenseman. Their physical game has done a nice job of wearing the Blackhawks down so far, and Fowler’s speed and on-ice vision make that extra space work to the team’s advantage. He has to deploy both of those skills extensively in this one, and if he does, the Ducks should be in great shape to win.

Sports

Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.

Chiefs signing European rugby star as offensive weapon, reports say

Shohei, sunshine and spring baseball. Scenes from the 2024 home-opener at Dodger Stadium

Kyle Palmieri

In the early part of this series, one of the calling cards for the Ducks was that they were getting tremendous production out of their bottom six forwards. Palmieri certainly figured into that discussion, but he took a step back in Game 3 as he managed just two shots on goal and was one of the team’s worst possession players in the contest.

If the Ducks are going to win Game 4, they are going to have to be able to put pressure on the Blackhawks with their entire lineup. That depth is key to exposing the Hawks’ lack of the same on the defensive side of the ice, and getting guys like Palmieri to contribute will really put a lot of extra pressure on players like Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Jakob Silfverberg

The Ducks’ second line has been one of their strengths thus far in the postseason, but Game 3 was a rough one for that bunch. Cumulatively, they allowed 13 more shot attempts than they made, and they were held in check by basically everyone on the Blackhawks as they struggled to gain traction against any line they were matched up against.

A big part of the reason that the second line has been successful has been Silfverberg's maturation and solid play in this series. He gives that line an element of speed that it so desperately needs with a playmaker like Ryan Kesler and a space-clearing physical threat like Matt Beleskey, and he will have to put that speed on display in this game if the Ducks are going to win.

Contact Us