Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Detroit Red Wings vs Anaheim Ducks May 8, 2013
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- - Ryan Getzlaf knows the Anaheim Ducks could be getting frustrated.
Instead, he thinks they're just getting started.
The Ducks have controlled long stretches of their matchup with Detroit, outscoring the Red Wings over the first four games while getting superior goaltending from Jonas Hiller. Yet the series is even heading into Game 5 on Wednesday night at Honda Center.
Second-seeded Anaheim's stellar regular-season record and formidable talent haven't mattered to the Red Wings, who sneaked out two overtime victories despite playing with a lead in just one of the series' four games.
It's a recipe for tension in the Ducks' dressing room heading into a pivotal point of the first-round series. But to Getzlaf and his teammates, every element of the playoff march is a privilege, particularly after the Ducks missed the postseason in two of the past three years.
" We're far from frustrated,'' the Anaheim captain said Tuesday after the Ducks' long flight from Detroit to Orange County. " This is playoff hockey. This is the best time of the year, and we're in a best-of-three series now. We always knew it was going to be a long series. ... It's been a grind throughout the year. We've always been able to rise up to the occasion, and we're hoping for that tomorrow (in Game 5)."
The Ducks expect to have little trouble regrouping after they barely missed a chance to take a 3-1 series lead in Game 4 on Monday night. After Anaheim blew a third-period lead, Damien Brunner's overtime goal evened the series for the Red Wings, who appeared to be on the ropes after getting shut out by Hiller in the first 100 minutes of the teams' two games at Joe Louis Arena.
" One goal the other way (in Game 4), and everybody is happy around here," Getzlaf said.
Instead, the Ducks must find additional determination to get past their playoff-tested opponents. Anaheim will have the advantage of its favored matchups on home ice in Game 5 and a potential Game 7, yet neither team believes matchups or friendly crowds have made much impact on this series.
" Quite frankly, the matchups only work if your team is playing well and you get a lead,'' Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. " If you don't get a lead, you may have some great defensive matchups, but you're going to have to change because you need to score goals. We'll get the last change (in Game 5), which will help, because I thought the last game they were definitely trying to get (Pavel) Datsyuk's line against one specific line, and we tried to change it a few times. It's a difficult thing to do."
Datsyuk scored the tying goal with 6:33 left in regulation in Game 4 for the Red Wings, who finally flexed their offensive skills at home after five-plus periods without a score.
The Red Wings made an obvious effort to get more shots at Hiller in Game 4, sending pucks at the Anaheim net at every opportunity. Hiller was solid all night, but the Red Wings' mentality eventually led to Brunner's winning goal.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/gameflash/2013/05/08/32562_preview.html#ixzz2Skb2ijXz
