Ducks And Canucks Win To Take 2-1 Series Lead
The spotlight was on the Western Conference as the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks won the critical third game to take a 2-1 lead in their respective series with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. The Canucks went into hostile territory and came away with a 3-1 victory. Alexander Edler led the way for the Canucks offence with two assists and Goalie Roberto Luongo made sure this time that the Black Hawks didn’t mount any kind of comeback as they did in the first two games. After surrendering eight goals in the first two games of the series at Vancouver, Luongo finished with 23 saves Tuesday, including a spectacular stop on Dave Bolland when the Blackhawks had a power play early in the third period. Henrik Sedin scored his fourth postseason goal and set a single-season playoff high. His brother Daniel Sedin had an assist and the Canucks have won 12 of their last 13 playoff games in which both score a point in the same game. The Blackhawks suffered their first home loss in four postseason games. Vancouver had just three giveaways for the entire game. Game 4 is back at the United Center on Thursday night before the series returns to Vancouver for Game 5 on Saturday night.
Meanwhile the Anaheim Ducks playing at the Honda Center in front of their home fans beat Detroit in an all out defensive effort winning by a margin of 2-1. These are two high scoring teams but playoff hockey is different, goals are much harder to come by. The name of the playoff game is goaltending and right now Anaheim’s Jonas Hiller is dialed in and frustrating the Red Wings. He stopped 45 of the 46 shots he faced with18 of those saves coming in the 3rd period to seal the Ducks win. Marian Hossa who was expected to contribute heavily in this series has pretty much been non-existent. Hossa did have a chance to tie the game late in the 3rd period but the referee lost sight of the puck and blew the play dead just as Hossa seemed to push the puck across the line, Detroit argued to no avail. Teemu Selanne and Rob Niedermayer who scored Anaheim’s two goals have been instrumental in the Ducks success. Anaheim is two wins away from reaching the Western Conference finals for the third time in four seasons. The Ducks’ recent run of success coincided with the 2006 arrival of Niedermayer and Selanne. Both players nearly retired after Anaheim’s 2007 Stanley Cup victory but they are now again key postseason contributors. Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf assisted on Niedermayer’s goal, extending his point streak to seven games with2 goals and 12 assists. Game 4 will be in Anaheim on Thursday before the series returns to Detroit for Game 5 on Sunday.
May 6th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Vancouver seems to be playing the game of hockey as the old timers have done in the past. Forget all the fancy puck passing and the hard hitting. Just play basic hockey . Put the puck in the net ,keep the opposition in the outside lanes and employ tight defense,as well good goal tending. To keep an opposing team from scoring in the 3rd period when you are leading is the way winning team come out on top,just as Vancouver did last night.
As for Anaheim,they seem to have saved the best for the playoffs. They are burning on all cylinders. What defense and hot goal tending is doing for them to date is a plus in all of their games.
Can’t wait for the Pittsburgh, Washington game tonight. Hockey at it’s best. Even with 2 great goal tenders,there will be lots of scoring. The idea is not to take any bad penalties ,which will almost ensure of have the puck put into the net.