Baltic Gal
Moderator
Western Conference Quarter Finals
Game 1
Ducks (P1) VS Jets (W2)
04/15/2015
In Anaheim,CA
@7:30PM Pacific Time
Preview:
[h=1]Ducks Open First Round Series Tonight vs. Jets[/h]
JETS (43-26-13) at DUCKS (51-24-7)
TV: CNBC, TVA, SN, PRIME
The Latest: The Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks open their 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round series against the Winnipeg Jets Thursday at Honda Center (7:30 p.m. PDT, PRIME TICKET/AM 830). This marks Anaheim's 11th trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs all-time and the eighth in the last 10 years. The Ducks finished the 2014-15 season with the top record in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season and second time in franchise history. With a 51-24-7 record and 109 standings points, Anaheim clinched its third consecutive Pacific Division title and fourth all-time. The Ducks posted the second-best record in franchise history, trailing only the 2013-14 club (53-20-8, 114). Anaheim recorded its second consecutive 50-win season in franchise history. The last NHL team to post back-to-back 50-win seasons was Vancouver in 2010-11 (54-19-9) and 2011-12 (51-22-9). The Ducks also matched the club record for most road standings points (54) and wins (25-12-4), a record originally set with the exact same record in 2013-14. Anaheim finished second among NHL teams in road points and road wins, concluding the season on a four-game win streak as visitors. The Ducks owned the NHL’s top intra-conference record with a 34-11-5 mark vs. Western Conference opponents. Anaheim finished with a 16-5-0 vs. the Central Division, leading NHL teams in wins and ranking second in points % (.762).
Following Game 1, the series will resume on Saturday, April 18 at Honda Center (7:30 p.m.) before shifting to Winnipeg for Games 3 on Monday, April 20 (6 p.m. PDT) and Wednesday, April 22 (6:30 p.m. PDT).
Ducks-Jets: The Ducks and Jets meet for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Anaheim swept the 2014-15 season series, 3-0-0. The three-game set began on Dec. 7 at MTS Centre, a 4-3 Ducks overtime victory on Kyle Palmieri’s goal 53 seconds into the extra session. The Ducks were back in Winnipeg six nights later on Dec. 13, a 4-1 Ducks win in whichRyan Getzlaf collected a goal and an assist. Anaheim wrapped up the series on Jan. 11 at Honda Center, a 5-4 shootout win, on Teemu Selanne's jersey retirement night. The Ducks rallied from a 4-2 deficit with 13:35 remaining in the third period and won it with a shootout goal by Sami Vatanen. Rickard Rakell led Anaheim skaters with six points (2g/4a) in the three games vs. Winnipeg, while Mathieu Perreault (3a), Andrew Ladd (2g/1a) and Dustin Byfuglien (1g/2a) paced Winnipeg skaters in points vs. the Ducks.
All-time, Anaheim has a 12-7-1 record vs. the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise, including a 5-4-1 mark at Honda Center. Tomas Fleischmann leads Anaheim skaters in career scoring vs. the Jets with 30 points (10g/20a) in 41 career matchups. Lee Stempniak has recorded 22 points (9g/13a) in 28 career games vs. Anaheim, leading Winnipeg skaters. Perreault is the only player on either club who has dressed for the opposing squad, appearing in 69 games with Anaheim last season before joining the Jets in the following summer.
Ducks team scope: The Ducks could be without goaltender John Gibson and center Nate Thompson for Game 1. Both Gibson and Thompson have an upper-body injury and did not practice Wednesday, but coach Bruce Boudreau said Gibson is “getting closer”. If Gibson does not dress, veteran Jason LaBarbera will back up Frederik Andersen. ForwardChris Wagner, who played nine games with Anaheim this season, would likely replace Thompson. “Playing nine games has helped, but it’s certainly a tall task for a young guy that’s played in the minors for two years and has been asked to be put into an important role,” said Boudreau. “He’s a competitive guy, and he will rise to the occasion."
“The excitement level never changes,” said Kyle Palmieri, on the postseason. “All it takes is seeing a commercial when you’re watching TV during the week. It gets your blood pumping a little bit. You try your best to get into playoff mode in these first couple of days, but now it’s time. We’re ready for it.
“You have dreams of those rally towels. I’ve had some great memories of all those orange towels waving. Hopefully they’ll outdo themselves this year.”
Jets team scope: Winnipeg makes its first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2007, when the franchise was the Atlanta Thrashers. Coach Paul Maurice said Perreault (lower body) will be a game-time decision for Game 1. Perreault skated at the end of practice at Honda Center on Wednesday. Defenseman Toby Enstrom did not practice, but Maurice said he will play in Game 1. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec finished the season 9-2-1 with four shutouts and a 182:05 shutout streak in his final three games. The Jets set a franchise record this season with 99 points; their 43 wins and 20 road wins each tied a franchise record. The Winnipeg franchise has never won a playoff game. The franchise’s only playoff appearance was a four-game sweep by the New York Rangers in the first round in 2007.