Ducks beat Blackhawks, claim 2-1 series lead
Frederik Andersen was strong once again in Game 3 as the Ducks took the series lead. (USATSI)
Every night during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eye On Hockey writers Adam Gretz and Chris Peters will bring you up to speed everything you need to know about all of the action around the NHL.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 3
Ducks 2, Blackhawks 1 | Ducks lead series 2-1 | Game 4 Saturday
Game 3 in a nutshell: The Ducks got off to a great start in Game 3 and showed no residual effects from the triple-OT loss in Game 2. When the Blackhawks tied the game late in the first period, it could have deflated Anaheim, but they came out even stronger in the second period. Simon Despres scored late in the second period. After that, the Ducks and particularly goaltender Frederik Andersen slammed the door to take the 2-1 series lead.
Turning point: It seems obvious, but the go-ahead goal by Simon Despres changed the face of the game. The Ducks needed to get that lead and then they pretty much sat on it. Anaheim didn’t play a true shell in the third, but they weren’t taking any chances offensively. Had the game been tied heading into the third period, it would have looked a heck of a lot different than it was.
Three things we learned
1. Ducks were excellent in their own zone in the third period. Anaheim had a somewhat dangerous strategy in the third, which seemed to be to sit back a bit and protect the one-goal lead. Anaheim allowed Chicago to get some pressure in their own zone, which is not particularly wise. But if a team plays as soundly as the Ducks did in the third period, it can work. The defensemen were getting sticks or bodies on just about everything and keeping shots coming from out wide. Scoring chances for Chicago were pretty much never uncontested, going right down to Patrick Kane‘s opportunity in the dying seconds of regulation. Despres got a stick on him, which was just enough to help the shot go wide. The Blackhawks had 22 even-strength shot attempts in the third, while the Ducks only had seven. That’s not necessarily advisable, but the game ended with a win, so it at least worked tonight.
2. Joel Quenneville made some questionable changes to the forward lineup ahead of Game 3. When the Blackhawks lineup was revealed to have Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen as healthy scratches after playing Games 1 and 2, it was puzzling. That it would be Kris Versteeg and Joakim Nordstrom in the Game 3 lineup, it looked even more questionable. Both Teravainen and Vermette played over 20 minutes in Game 2. There were no injuries announced to either player and Quenneville said after the game he just wanted to get some fresh legs in there. Even if that was the case, those forwards’ absence forced the Blackhawks to jumble the lines some and most of them didn’t seem to have much rhythm. General fatigue could have played a role in the overall performance, but the Blackhawks couldn’t seem to get their game going.
3. The Ducks became the first team to beat Chicago in the United Center this postseason. A big reason for it was Frederik Andersen, who made 27 saves to give his club a huge road win. A couple of big saves late really helped his cause as he turned aside all 10 shots he faced in the closing 20 minutes. On top of Andersen’s great performance, Corey Perry had an effective game despite not getting on the scoresheet. He had four shots on goal and played a solid two-way game. Cam Fowler was also really strong in this game as his defensive-zone play was spot on. Those are three standout performances that made a difference, but the Ducks as a whole really earned the win to regain the series lead.
Video of the game: The goal Despres scored to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead came thanks to a bit of a miscue from Corey Crawford. He kind of got lost in his net amid some serious traffic from Corey Perry. When Ryan Getzlaf dished the puck to Despres on the halfwall, it’s not a normal shooting position. Despres wasted no time and kept his shot low and hard on the ice. He had the whole net to shoot at and didn’t miss Even though he had the big net staring at him, that can be a tough shot to get just right given the angle. It was a solid finish from Despres and the game was different from that point on.
Boom. 2-1 @AnaheimDucks after 2. #ANAvsCHI #StanleyCup https://t.co/sUbDstNAHm
— NHL (@NHL) May 22, 2015
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