CHICAGO — A good road game is like a bowl of oatmeal. Boring, a tad mushy, but useful as the day wears on.
The Anaheim Ducks took the sizzle out of what had been a blazing Western Conference Final, winning 2-1 in hockey’s version of The Hangover. After playing nearly six periods in Game 2, neither team seemed to have their extra gear on Thursday, which fit Anaheim’s game plan just fine.
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“I know a lot of people in here, we tried to keep things as simple as we possibly could,” said Ducks winger Andrew Cogliano. “It’s never easy when you lose in three overtimes and you have a 3 ½ hour flight here.”
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Simon Despres, just another savvy pickup by Ducks GM Bob Murray at the trade deadline, one-timed home a beauty with 55 ticks left on the second period clock. That lead stood up through a scoreless third period, as young Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen continues to prove himself as a more than capable NHL netminder, and edge backup John Gibson closer to the trade market.
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“It just came down to one play, I guess,” lamented Chicago goalie Corey Crawford. “I got bumped (on Despres’ goal). I got bumped the whole game. It wasn’t enough to get called, but it was enough on that one (to be) a little distraction. I’ve got to find a way to not get caught up, I guess.”
Go to the net. Make life hard on the goalie. Limit chances. Make ‘em play in their own end.
These are the calls of the National Hockey League road bird, heard in every dressing room across the NHL landscape. It’s exactly what the Ducks accomplished, 48 hours after having their hearts ripped out at home in that triple-overtime marathon in Game 2.
What does that tell Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau about his club?
“It told me what I know, that they’re a great character team. This was great character win,” he said. “A very good checking road game for us. We limited their chances on the road. For a tired group it was a very good game for us.”
If it is true that a series does not truly begin until one team wins on the road, what then should we make of a series where the road team has won two of the first three games? Chicago wrestled home-ice advantage away from Anaheim on Tuesday, and the Ducks promptly stole it back two nights later.
“Two really good, experienced, teams that know what it takes to win, no matter what building they’re in,” summarized Chicago’s late lineup addition Kris Versteeg. “There’s no panic in here. We understand what we need to do. It’s a big game the next game to make it a best-of-three.”
This one turned on the axis that was the Anaheim penalty kill. While the Ducks had one powerplay shot on goal on the night, a nifty deflection goal by Patrick Maroon, Chicago had one lone powerplay shot in five turgid attempts (9:18 of PP time) and did not score. Unacceptable, with the talent the Blackhawks can ice with the man advantage.
“We can generate some more shots, better puck movement. You name it,” said Blackhawk Patrick Sharp. “Hanging on to that puck better, winning battles, everything that we talked about (that) a successful power-play does.”
They jam 22,160 people into the United Centre for a lucrative playoff game these days, but the number that will have the Blackhawks shaking in their Tacks is this, courtesy of @SNstats:
As such, Game 4 is an absolute must-win for Chicago, just to create a best-of-three in which they’ll play twice in Anaheim. Suddenly, the road to Chicago’s third Stanley Cup since 2010 appears rather steep.
“Just forget about it,” advised Chicago defenceman Brent Seabrook. “Just forget about this one and learn from it. Get moving and have a good day tomorrow and get some rest and get back at ’er.”
