GDT: #54 ⋅ ANA @ LAK ⋅ 7:30 PM PST

[robbieboy3686]

Gudas was missed tonight. Zell isn’t as ready as most of you make him out to be. Helleson is a bottom pairing dude.

 

[duckaroosky]

Just need the GMs to bum fight outside the arena and it'll be an organizational hat trick

 

[Deuce22]

That was cool, except for Doughboy being a d*** as usual. Our goalie who isn't ready to be the starter (according to some) was great.

 

[KelVarnsen]

Ranch water*

Even better!!!!

 

[Ducks DVM]

Ranch water*

Don’t we have enough sick players as it is?

 

[duckaroosky]

I could watch this all night



The kings player falling over like he's one of those fainting goats.

 

[Ducks DVM]

And with that, we are at .500.

What’s Verbeek going to do?

Say something that nobody can say with any certainty will actually be what’s going to come to pass.

 

[robbieboy3686]

Say something that nobody can say with any certainty will actually be what’s going to come to pass.

I’ve had a feeling for a while now that verbeek has been cooking multiple stews. And he might end up making a couple of shocking/semi shocking didn’t expect that but I like it deals

 

[Ducksforcup]

I don't think it will happen at the deadline but I would love for Verbeek to acquire a quality forward via trade at the draft to show this team that he's adding, not subtracting.

 

[LePerilsofPerreault]

Keep it going, .500 feels great. Bit of a mirage with goaltending carrying the team - regardless I'm glad they're experiencing some W's and will play games that matter going into March.

 

[SirQuacksALot]

I just got back from the game. I haven’t been in a couple years. I took my brother-in-law to his second ever hockey game and while we were there we met a couple of Scottish guys that were in town and convince them to cheer for the ducks. Then the team won and I feel like I did a good job.

It was all me. I willed this I to existence after I read The Secret.

 

[anezthes]

F***, yeah! Dostál, Zegras, Carlsson, LaCombe. <3

 

[Leonardo87]

Wish I stayed up for this one. Leo and Z score in the SO and they beat the Kings!

Oh well. Better late than never….

 

[Kalv]

We're a .500 team in february. Wow

 

[NWWisconsinDuck]

Many have pointed out where this team would be if not for stellar goaltending. While that’s true and I don’t dispute that, in previous years they still wouldn’t be good enough to win games with it, much less be at .500. Goalies are a part of the team just like forwards and D, and if anything I look at it as this team being a player or two away from taking a big big step forward when other areas of the team begin to be shored up.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “how bad would they be without these goalies” and it could be a “how good could they be if they can add and compliment these goalies?”

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

I also, admittedly, have to give Cronin credit right now. I’ve been in hockey locker rooms before albeit at a far lower level than the NHL. If your coaches message isn’t resonating and you have no respect for him, you aren’t winning 6 out of 7 games. It just won’t happen. Doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way but I don’t think this has been a stretch where they’re winning in spite of Cronin, regardless of what the idiots on Crash the Pond podcast think

 

[Leonardo87]

Many have pointed out where this team would be if not for stellar goaltending. While that’s true and I don’t dispute that, in previous years they still wouldn’t be good enough to win games with it, much less be at .500. Goalies are a part of the team just like forwards and D, and if anything I look at it as this team being a player or two away from taking a big big step forward when other areas of the team begin to be shored up.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “how bad would they be without these goalies” and it could be a “how good could they be if they can add and compliment these goalies?”

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

I also, admittedly, have to give Cronin credit right now. I’ve been in hockey locker rooms before albeit at a far lower level than the NHL. If your coaches message isn’t resonating and you have no respect for him, you aren’t winning 6 out of 7 games. It just won’t happen. Doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way but I don’t think this has been a stretch where they’re winning in spite of Cronin, regardless of what the idiots on Crash the Pond podcast think

I can’t give Cronin credit. Gave up 40+ SOG again. Top goaltending is throwing a shadow over the issues with this team. Ducks are like Top 5, maybe even Top 3 in goaltending.

Gibby is having his best season in like 6 years and Dostal has also been excellent.

Our kids are still not producing like they should and only one forward had a point last night.

Kings played last night including their goalie, should have gotten more goals past him, not just SO goals.

It’s funny how the last two games which they won actually hurt their offensive numbers on the season…

 

[Hey234]

I can’t give Cronin credit. Gave up 40+ SOG again. Top goaltending is throwing a shadow over the issues with this team. Ducks are like Top 5, maybe even Top 3 in goaltending.

Gibby is having his best season in like 6 years and Dostal has also been excellent.

Our kids are still not producing like they should and only one forward had a point last night.

Kings played last night including their goalie, should have gotten more goals past him, not just SO goals.

It’s funny how the last two games which they won actually hurt their offensive numbers on the season…

View attachment 975084

Agreed. It great they are winning but circumstances have helped these wins. At it's core, they way they are winning is not setting them up for long term success. They cannot be a top team without a better system and more structure. Cronin has publicly admitted multiple times to having the wrong system and needed to change it.

These wins are further examples that this team, with a better coach/system, is capable of being something good. There is talent and they can win.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

We keep winning. But Vancouver found their game. They keep winning. It's going to be tough. We're 9 points out

 

[robbieboy3686]

I think we play the Canucks 2x the first handful of games back from break. Literally have to win both.

 

[caliamad]

That's the first time in a long time, I remember us getting outplayed 5 on 5 and being the better team on special teams.

This felt like a playoff game with little space and hard work. Think if the Kings HAD NOT played 3 games in 4 night. How much worse it have been.

Gudas would have been great for a game like this, but our faceoff and possession metrics (like very related) were god awful. We had a hard time to keeping the puck for many extended periods where as the kings had the puck the entire 3rd period. Feels like we were getting outworked not and necessarily had anything to do with strategy.

My point is that moving the coach now is going to instantly achieve results. Verbeek should have fired him in December, but that ship is sailed.

 

[Rooch]

Showing up here way late to say that shootout move by Leo was a face-melter. He's had trouble scoring this season but that right-left-backhand shot was truly beautiful.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I could watch this all night



The kings player falling over like he's one of those fainting goats.

I have to say, it warmed the cockles of my heart when I saw that in real time. Amazing D by Z.

 

[Mr Rogers]

in a way, those shootout goals were a bit of a tease, because that skill isn’t really being displayed in games for one reason or another.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Many have pointed out where this team would be if not for stellar goaltending. While that’s true and I don’t dispute that, in previous years they still wouldn’t be good enough to win games with it, much less be at .500. Goalies are a part of the team just like forwards and D, and if anything I look at it as this team being a player or two away from taking a big big step forward when other areas of the team begin to be shored up.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “how bad would they be without these goalies” and it could be a “how good could they be if they can add and compliment these goalies?”

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

I also, admittedly, have to give Cronin credit right now. I’ve been in hockey locker rooms before albeit at a far lower level than the NHL. If your coaches message isn’t resonating and you have no respect for him, you aren’t winning 6 out of 7 games. It just won’t happen. Doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way but I don’t think this has been a stretch where they’re winning in spite of Cronin, regardless of what the idiots on Crash the Pond podcast think

This is the same as Eakins pre-Verbeek. They’re a bad team being propped up by goaltending. Verbeek divested the team of NHL caliber top 4 defensemen for a couple years, and now he has a couple back. The last 30 days we are still bad as far as the SAT/USAT.

The team has talent. The guy running it isn’t using that talent well.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

With a decent special teams.. this team could have easily been 10 to 12 ahead in the standings... They lost so many games early because of horrible special teams..