NHL Playoffs – Can the Ducks Take Out the # 2 Seed in the Semis?
Well, the Ducks shocked the NHL world by booting the #1 seed San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, in 6 games, but can they take out the high scoring defending #2 seed in the Detroit Red Wings? In looking at one of the leading, and pretty much all, sportsbooks NHL bookies don’t think so. The odds for the series at the leading sportsbook I checked had the Red Wings as big favorites in the series at -300 and the Ducks as underdogs at +220.
The Ducks won the series against the heavily favored Sharks with their defense and especially their play in G. Ducks’ G Jonas Hiller was absolutely awesome between the pipes in the series with a goals against average of 1.65, a save percentage of .957, and had 2 shutouts in 6 games. He will have to play like that again against a Red Wings team that had 4 players score 30 or more goals this season. The Red Wings scored 18 goals in a 4 game sweep of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the playoffs and their defense only gave up 7 goals. In the 4 games against Columbus the Red Wings have an amazing goal differential of +2.75. The Ducks scored just as many goals (18) in their first round series, but it took them 2 more games to tally that amount.
The Red Wings will have to contain Ryan Getzlaf, who scored 8 points in the series against San Jose. To say the Red Wings offense is stacked is a given, but they are also well rounded on that end of the ice. Even though the Red Wings had, along with the Ducks, the most goals in the first round they did not have one player ranked in the top 10 in the playoffs in points or goals. The knock on Detroit was their defense, but they stepped up in the playoffs and in their first 3 games only allowed 2 goals before allowing 5 in game their game 4 win over Columbus. Red Wings G Chris Osgood had a goals against average of 1.75 and a save percentage of .936 in the first round series. To say that is an upgrade over his regular season is yet another major understament, as during the regular season his save percentage (.887) ranked 44th of the 47 goalies with enough starts to qualify statistically. His goals-against average (3.09) was 40th of 46. Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf will have to have a great series for the Ducks and pepper Osgood with shots and hope a few go in.
The Red Wings have so many players that can score that Hiller and the whole Ducks’ D will have to play great in the series. The Ducks did beat the #1 seed in the first round, but they may be facing a better team in the Red Wings in the second.
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