Baltic Gal
Moderator
Western Quarter Finals
Ducks (1) VS Stars (WC2)
Game 1
04/16/2014
@7:00PM Pacific Time
In Anaheim,CA
Preview:
Top-Seeded Ducks Know What's at Stake Against Stars
STARS (40-31-11) at DUCKS (54-20-8)
TV: TSN, RDS (JIP), NBCSN, FS-SW, FS-W
Last 10: Dallas 6-4-0; Anaheim 7-2-1
Series: The Ducks and Stars meet for the third time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning tonight at Honda Center (previously 2003 and 2008). Both teams have earned a 4-2 series win, Anaheim in 2003 and Dallas in 2008. All-time, the Ducks are 3-3 at home and 3-3 on the road against the Stars.
Teemu Selanne leads Anaheim skaters in career playoff scoring vs. Dallas, collecting 2-4=6 points in 11 career games. Only three other skaters have faced the Stars in the postseason, including Francois Beauchemin (six games), Ryan Getzlaf (2-3=5 in six games) and Corey Perry (2-1=3 in three games). There are a total of seven players remaining from the 2008 series participating in this current series, six of whom still or now play for the Ducks. Those Anaheim players include Selanne, Beauchemin, Getzlaf, Perry, Stephane Robidas (then with Dallas) and Mark Fistric (then with Dallas). Trevor Daley is the lone Stars player remaining from their 2008 playoff roster.
Big story: The Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks open their 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round series against the Dallas Stars tonight at Honda Center (7 p.m., FS WEST/KRLA 870 AM). This marks Anaheim's 10th trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs all-time and the seventh in the last nine years. The Ducks concluded the 2013-14 regular season with a record of 54-20-8, the best mark in club history. Anaheim finished with the top record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history and set season records for standings points (116), wins and win/points percentage (.707).
But all eyes will be on the Ducks and coach Bruce Boudreau, who has a history of three first-round exits, all as the higher-seeded team. This might turn out to be a long series, but Anaheim needs to start the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win to allay panic.
Team Scope:
Ducks: Anaheim finished the regular season on a 9-2-1 run, but its starting goalie is up in the air. Boudreau can choose from Jonas Hiller, and rookies Frederik Andersen and John Gibson.
"One of those three are going to play," Boudreau said Tuesday.
All signs point to Andersen, though, as Hiller tries to get his confidence back.
"You're trying to put it out of your head as much as you can to stay positive," Hiller said Monday. "It's not easy because I want to be in there and I want to play … if I get my chance, I'll have to do better than the last couple of games."
Anaheim finished the regular season with its best record in history and set season records for points (116), wins (54) and goals (263). The Ducks also had 26 comeback wins, the most in the NHL since 2005-06, but it won't matter if they can't get out of the Western Conference First Round.
Boudreau is aware of the importance of this series after losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round last season.
"I think we're ready," Boudreau said. "We're prepared. They've been playing all year for this, and we know we're playing a really good opponent that's beaten us twice already this year. But I think we'll make it a series."
Stars: Dallas clinched a playoff spot last Friday and took Monday off, so it should be refreshed to start the playoffs. The Stars are almost fully healthy for their first postseason appearance in six years.
Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said the run-up to Game 1 will probably be beneficial for his younger players.
"We've had a tough road to get here, and there hasn't been a lot of breathing room," Ruff said. "The playoffs are about getting the job done in a short period of time. So I think some of our young guys have used this stretch as a hardening process to get ready for the playoffs."
Each team has dynamic forwards with Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, and Dallas' Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, and the series is expecting to see a lot of scoring chances. Anaheim has had trouble with speedy teams and that could favor Dallas.
"We feel we can skate with them," Ruff said. "We feel that they've got a pair of guys here that have had a dynamic year and we have a pair that have had a dynamic year. I think the back end stacks up the same. I think the depth and speed of the forwards is the same. We play a fairly similar style."
Who's hot: Ducks forward Matt Beleskey has three goals and an assist in his past three games. Forward Patrick Maroonhas five goals and seven assists in his past 12 games. Perry had six goals and four assists in his final eight regular-season games. … Benn has four goals and four assists in his past five games. Seguin had five goals and eight points in his final eight games.
Injury report: Ducks defenseman Mark Fistric (lower body) is on a conditioning stint in the American Hockey League. Forward Tim Jackman (hand) is out. … Stars forward Ray Whitney (lower body) is expected to be available. Defenseman Brenden Dillon (lower body) didn't skate Tuesday and is a game-time decision.
