The Anaheim Ducks began their March with a home matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks at Honda Center on Saturday.
Just a few hours before puck drop, the Hawks traded their number one defenseman, Seth Jones, to the Florida Panthers. Jones was averaging 24:30 minutes per night for Chicago, featuring on their power play and penalty kill units.
The Ducks entered play having recorded points in six of their prior seven games (5-1-1) and having only lost in regulation twice in their previous 11 games (8-2-1).
The Blackhawks came into this one on a four-game losing streak and having only won one game in their prior nine.
Trevor Zegras was serving the final game of his three-game suspension he earned during the Ducks’ 5-4 OT loss to the Red Wings on Feb. 23.
Ducks head coach Greg Cronin went with the same lineup that earned his club a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
John Gibson got the start for the Ducks after he was forced to exit the Ducks’ 3-2 OT win over the Bruins and miss the following three games with an upper-body injury. He stopped just 18 of 24 shots. Two of Chicago’s goals were scored off of defensive zone coverage lapses, two were scored off breakaways, and two were scored on the powerplay. There wasn’t a soft goal allowed by Gibson in this game.
Opposing Gibson in the Chicago crease was Arvid Soderblom who stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced.
Here are my notes from this game:
Defensive Zone Coverage-The Ducks have improved their play against the cycle as the season’s progressed, but this game was a step backward as they gave up two goals on glaring coverage breakdowns.
The man-coverage scheme the team runs will always be susceptible to switches and high weaves in attempts to create time and space before attacking downhill. Even the most perfect coverage will allow at least a bit of space and force an adjustment. Every so often, it will lead to an attacker exposing a miscue and ending up wide open like on Kaiser’s goal in the first period.
Cycle-After coming out of the gates with speed, the cycle relied on too many chances from stagnant positions and offered very little in terms of off-puck movement to open ice.
Leo Carlsson-Carlsson was much more physically engaged in this game than is typical from him. He was winning wall battles and forcing mistakes on the forecheck. If he can continue this trend and with these added layers to his overall game, his natural offensive talents will have the opportunity to shine even more.
Pavel Mintyukov-This was one of Mintyukov’s better defensive performances in recent memory. He was flawless in coverage and remained on his check, not giving an inch of ice.
Where his play truly stood out and where he thrives is with his neutral zone play. He has the uncommon ability to diagnose opposing attacks perfectly before they have a chance to build and kill them early as they try to exit their own defensive zone.
The Ducks will look to return to the win column as they head on the road for a two-game back-to-back swing against Edmonton and Vancouver, starting on Tuesday against the Oilers.
Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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