Pre-Game Talk: WCF: Anaheim Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks

[Toews2Bickell]

Would have been nice to not know who the Hawks are playing for a couple days while my last year of undergrad finals took place. Hard to concentrate with the main board trash talk, etc.

 

[Nothingman*]

Mark Potash ‏@MarkPotash 4m4 minutes ago
Under Bruce Boudreau, the Ducks are 8-0 at home in the playoffs vs. the Stars, Jets & Flames; 3-5 at home vs. the Wings & Kings.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Mark Potash ‏@MarkPotash 4m4 minutes ago
Under Bruce Boudreau, the Ducks are 8-0 at home in the playoffs vs. the Stars, Jets & Flames; 3-5 at home vs. the Wings & Kings.

IDK why, but I feel like this series is going to be full of shenanigans on the Anaheim side, something that rivals the past VAN series. Boudreau is a hot head and there are some giant dbags on that team. Hopefully Bick is ready to light some people up.

 

[Sarava]

Well, this is what you expect in the conference finals. A tough matchup. The Ducks are rolling. The Hawks have their work cut out for them. Can't wait to see this thing start.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I say Hawks in 5. It almost scary how confident I am. I just think this is a good matchup for the Hawks. The Ducks are very good, don't get me wrong. But they are top heavy, and if the Hawks can contain the Getz/Perry line, which I think they can I think they control the series. I think everyone should prepare for the Fiddy thread after the Hawks win and the top line has so so production while keeping the Ducks in check. I think the Hawks depth will take over this series. I think the 3rd line will be big this series. The Ducks defense doesn't really scare me and Anderson is fine, but he doesn't scare me. I guess the one thing I'd worry about it the Hawks PK has struggled a bit while the Ducks PP has been rolling. But the Hawks PK has shown it can be better so hopefully they will step up.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

I say Hawks in 5. It almost scary how confident I am. I just think this is a good matchup for the Hawks. The Ducks are very good, don't get me wrong. But they are top heavy, and if the Hawks can contain the Getz/Perry line, which I think they can I think they control the series. I think everyone should prepare for the Fiddy thread after the Hawks win and the top line has so so production while keeping the Ducks in check. I think the Hawks depth will take over this series. I think the 3rd line will be big this series. The Ducks defense doesn't really scare me and Anderson is fine, but he doesn't scare me. I guess the one thing I'd worry about it the Hawks PK has struggled a bit while the Ducks PP has been rolling. But the Hawks PK has shown it can be better so hopefully they will step up.

I've been saying it for the past two series, that third line is due for a big series. They are getting better every series. If Vermy can continue to dominate at the dot and Sharpy/Turbo continue to have a shoot-first mentality, they'll be generating a lot of opportunities. This is probably the happiest I've been with our forward depth/line combos in years. There is a bit of everything on every line.

 

[member 151739]

Ducks in 4. Silfverberg is the greatest player of all time.

 

[Blackhawks26]

Hawks in 5

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Ducks in 4. Silfverberg is the greatest player of all time.

He ain't no Bobby Ryan, I know that.

 

[CptnSerious]

Well, this is what you expect in the conference finals. A tough matchup. The Ducks are rolling. The Hawks have their work cut out for them. Can't wait to see this thing start.

To be fair, the Ducks are rolling because of the opponents they played in the first two rounds.

 

[Nothingman*]

Ducks in 4. Silfverberg is the greatest player of all time.

I read that somewhere.....

 

[Backyard Hockey]

I say Hawks in 6.

Anaheim had by far the easiest path in the first two rounds. That ends now.

And Silfverberg needs to change his name. There is an unnecessary F in his name.

And Boudreau look like Burl Ives.

 

[CptnSerious]

Man, this board is REALLY sure about the 6 game thing

Weren't a lot of us sure about the 6 game thing against the Wild too?

 

[member 151739]

In all seriousness though, Hawks in 7. But I can see the series ending in 6.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I say Hawks in 5. It almost scary how confident I am. I just think this is a good matchup for the Hawks. The Ducks are very good, don't get me wrong. But they are top heavy, and if the Hawks can contain the Getz/Perry line, which I think they can I think they control the series. I think everyone should prepare for the Fiddy thread after the Hawks win and the top line has so so production while keeping the Ducks in check. I think the Hawks depth will take over this series. I think the 3rd line will be big this series. The Ducks defense doesn't really scare me and Anderson is fine, but he doesn't scare me. I guess the one thing I'd worry about it the Hawks PK has struggled a bit while the Ducks PP has been rolling. But the Hawks PK has shown it can be better so hopefully they will step up.

Nah they're not top heavy IMO. They've got some nice depth pieces. It's becoming a joke now but they really do have more to their team than Getz and that dirtbag Perry.

Easy road or not, they're in the WCF because they're a well built team

 

[BobbyJet]

Some will think I'm nuts but I prefer Hawks starting on the road.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Ducks have 6 NHL quality defenders

Fowler
Lindholm
Beauchemin
Vatanen
Stoner
Despres

4 damn good young one's and overall a nice group

Ducks D at worst = Hawks 4 man unit

Overall probably slightly > then Hawks because 6 NHL defenders is a lot more valuable in playoffs then 4 NHL defenders at this point

Hawks may have the best defender in series (Keith) and a more elite top 4 ,, But the lack of a 3rd pairing while Ducks can roll 3 pairings is an issue

The Hawks only will really use 4 defenders all series, and the Ducks don't have any pairing that can touch those 4. As for the 5th and 6 Dmen, yeah, ANA's are better, but it's not like they are going to make a huge difference when they are only playing 5-10mins a night and it will be with 1 of those 4 and never together.

People will keep saying "it's going to be tasking on those 4" and have yet to be proven right in the playoffs over the last 7 years.

 

[member 151739]

Some will think I'm nuts but I prefer Hawks starting on the road.

So Game 3 isn't on the road?

 

[Hawkaholic]

Some will think I'm nuts but I prefer Hawks starting on the road.

Agree, steal 1 and they get home ice and put pressure on the Ducks to win on the road.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Have to admit, Getzlaf is one hell of a player. One of my favorite players in the NHL not wearing the indianhead. That being said I hope he sucks eggs this entire series.

 

[xxreact9]

Ducks are rolling because they just played probably the two worst teams in the playoffs, at least on this side of the bracket.

Remember when Winnipeg steamrolled into the playoffs shutting out elite teams and winning many games in a row, picked by most experts to upset Anaheim?

Now all of the sudden they are the worst team.

 

[xxreact9]

Have to admit, Getzlaf is one hell of a player. One of my favorite players in the NHL not wearing the indianhead. That being said I hope he sucks eggs this entire series.

He got 8 points in 7 games vs the kings last year playing Kopitar's line. Hard to shut down, I think this series is won in the trenches (bottom 6).

 

[Hawkaholic]

One thing I will be keeping a close eye on, is who Boudreau wants to match up against Toews. Will it be Kesler? (I imagine it will be) and if it is, does Q get that line off the ice right away and throw Kruger out there?

Or does Q go with that match-up and put Krugers line up against Getzlafs. I think Toews line would dominate Keslers line, so maybe BBQ Bruce tries to get Getzlafs line out there vs. Toews.

 

[WJSN]

One thing I will be keeping a close eye on, is who Boudreau wants to match up against Toews. Will it be Kesler? (I imagine it will be) and if it is, does Q get that line off the ice right away and throw Kruger out there?

Or does Q go with that match-up and put Krugers line up against Getzlafs. I think Toews line would dominate Keslers line, so maybe BBQ Bruce tries to get Getzlafs line out there vs. Toews.

If regular season games are any indication Q wanted Toews-Getzlaf going head to head and Boudreau wanted no part of that. Kruger's line ended up playing a lot against Getzlaf when ANA had the last change and did a decent job not giving up goals. I don't think BB chases matchups as much as Q does. We'll probably see a lot of Toews-Getzlaf in this series.

IMO Getzlaf line will have to out-produce Toews line for the Ducks to win this series. If they cancel out (similar to Toews-Kopitar in last year's WCF), Hawks secondary scoring will win out.

 

[Blue Liner]

Cue the outta-town-stupid "Hawks are soft/going to be out-hit/intimidated" lazy ass narrative we've heard now for seven years.