Something’s Gotta Give

Previewing tonight’s Flames/Ducks tilt

By Marcus White

Liam Richards/Canadian Press

If I had told you a month ago that one of the most intriguing games early in the season would be between the Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, would you have believed me? 

If you said yes, you’re a psychic, an optimist, or a liar.

Tonight’s matchup is the first between Calgary and Anaheim as divisional rivals since 1998, and sole possession of second place in the Pacific is on the line. While it could be a matchup of a little interest in the long run, there’s definitely some intrigue surrounding tonight’s contest at the Honda Center.

To the surprise of many, the Calgary Flames remain undefeated in regulation through five games this season. Despite numerous last place projections, two goaltenders with save percentages below .900, and the league’s 27th-ranked penalty kill, the Flames have eight points in their first five games.

Calgary’s early success is due, in large part, to a surprisingly potent offense. The Flames are averaging 3.2 goals per game this season, which is good enough for fifth in the league and have yet to score less than three goals in a game.

2013 sixth-overall draft pick Sean Monahan leads Calgary’s attack with four goals and is making the most of his opportunity. Monahan’s impressive debut has also created a dilemma in Calgary’s front office, as the Flames must decide whether they will send the talented rookie back to the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League or if he’s done enough to secure a permanent spot in the NHL.

Almost as surprising is the Ducks’ similarly impressive start. After a 6-1 shellacking in their first game against the Avalanche, Anaheim has rebounded impressively. The Ducks have since won four straight games, most recently downing the Ottawa Senators while wearing their “Mighty” throwbacks.

A pair of newcomers has helped lead the way for the Ducks offensively. Claimed off of waivers from the Capitals and acquired from Ottawa in the Bobby Ryan trade, respectively, Matthieu Perreault and Jakob Silfverberg are tied for second on the team with five points. Goaltender Jonas Hiller is also off to an impressive start, allowing less than one-and-a-half goals per game, and posting a .959 save percentage.

It’ll be the second of a four game home stand for the Ducks and the first stop on a daunting five game road trip for the Flames. Tonight will provide a solid test for both clubs, as each looks to prove that their hot start is no fluke.

NHL Power Rankings: Top five in league

By Andrew Miller

1. San Jose Sharks (5-0-0)

Greg Beacham/AP

Secondary scoring is crucial to finding success in the NHL and the Sharks have plenty of it. Tomas Hertl has a two goal lead on everyone else in the league thanks to a four goal outburst against the Rangers (which also included an unreal through the legs move) and Logan Couture continues to build on what already is a very impressive resume for a 24 year old.

Through five games, the Sharks have yet to lose and have given up just seven goals. As Herb Brooks said about Vladislav Tretiak, if you score on Antti Niemi keep the puck.  Any team can beat anyone in the NHL on any given night, but if the Sharks sneak past the Blues on Tuesday, the winning streak could very easily 
reach eight games to start the year with matchups against the Stars and Flames ahead.

2. St. Louis Blues (4-0-0)

Somehow, some way, the Blues continue to live in the top of the West. There’s nothing flashy about this team. Some would argue they don’t have a bona fide star player (those people have not been paying enough attention to Alex Pietrangelo). Sound defensive coverage and players buying into Ken Hitchcock’s system results in the Blues starting the year with four wins and zero losses through Monday.

Around the league, there’s a lot of chatter about goalie Jaroslav Halak, and for good reason as he’s playing as confident as ever. As long as he avoids costly mental errors that plagued him last year, the ceiling for this team is the Stanley Cup.

3. Anaheim Ducks (4-1)

If you didn't catch throwback night in Anaheim do yourself a favor and check out the sweetest unis of all time. Rocking the purple and teal Mighty Ducks colors, Anaheim beat the Senators on Sunday night to improve their record to four and one, and that’s with a power play that has scored just once.

This may have to be the year to go all in for the Ducks as Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are expected to retire at the end of the season.  All the pieces are there with a deep lineup. In fact, the only starter with a negative plus/minus is defenseman Cam Fowler. If the second line of Silfverberg, Perreault, and Penner keep up their scoring pace, the Ducks could slide even higher up.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins (4-1-0)

Regardless of where the Penguins are on this list, their season relies on one thing: the health of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. If that tandem can stay healthy, a Stanley Cup run is realistic even with an unreliable Marc-Andre Fleury.

During last year’s playoff push, it seemed as if the Penguins had too much star power. Now filled out with role players as well as scorers, Dan Bylsma’s team is coming along nicely even if they haven’t faced the stiffest of competition. The coach has to be circling the Canucks and Avalanche games as early season tests for him to gauge where his team truly is.

5. Colorado Avalanche (5-0-0)

10 different players have already netted a goal for the Avs through five games. That’s more than five teams have on the season. Nathan MacKinnon is the real deal, already dishing out assists all over the place, particularly with some good hands around the net. And how does four goals given up through five games sound? Patrick Roy is smiling somewhere behind all that fire.

With an absurd .970 save percentage, Semyon Varlamov is playing out of his mind, possibly feeling the pressure to perform well heading into the Olympics in his home country. Although it’s a great start for the team, it is hard to imagine his team maintaining their level of play and hanging around much longer in the top five.

Just missed: Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings

Part Two: Who’s Going to Raise the Cup?

By Andrew Miller

After taking a look at the top teams in the East, it’s time to see who is going to be the kings of the West. With the consistency and firepower of the Ducks and Blackhawks, the two teams are up ten points on everyone else in the conference. Although the Ducks claimed the last head to head match up, it’s a toss up any time these teams clash. Who gets the best of each other in a seven game series come May?

Anaheim Ducks

(AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

This squad has everything in place for a long run in the playoffs: talent, depth, goaltending, and a great coach in Bruce Boudreau. The trio of Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan are taking the reigns, but the Ducks are much more than that. 10 forwards in addition to the journeyman defensemen Sheldon Souray have scored at least five goals. On their lethal power play nine different skaters have found the net. If a team stops one line or even two, the Ducks could still manage to win.

Defensively, the Ducks have no standouts, but no issues. Francis Beauchemin eats up minutes with over 23 a game and all the way down the line they are solid. Souray, Lydman, and Allen are all veterans who know what it takes to get to the Cup. The true steal for the Ducks comes in between the pipes. Before the season, no one knew Victor Fasth was, but after his consistency, he should be getting to be a household name. In 15 games, he got the win in 11 of them with a 2.15 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Hiller is no slouch posting respectable numbers himself. The only issue may be deciding on a starter in the playoffs, but it’s a good issue to have.

Chicago Blackhawks

What happened to the goaltending questions in the Windy City? Through 30 games, the ‘Hawks have only surrendered 66 goals which is best in the West. Corey Crawford is playing out of his mind posting a 1.86 GAA and a .926 save percentage. The 28 year old is hitting is prime with the rest of the team. Three years into his full time starting job, his name in absolutely in the Vezina conversation. Everyone knows the names patrolling the blue line between Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson, but no one could have predicted Michael Rozsival and Johnny Oduya to make an impact. Add youngster Nick Leddy to the mix and Chicago is looking at a fantastic defensive corps.

Much less surprising is the success of their high-powered high possession offense. The Blackhawks lead the West in goals for with 102, barely holding off the Ducks at 100 even. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have scored multiple highlight reel goals supported by Hossa, Sharp, and the emergence of Bryan Bickell and Viktor Stalberg. However, the team heavily relies on star power, similar to the Penguins, and if a key player goes down as the season winds down, it could spell disaster for Joel Quenneville and his team.

Verdict: Anaheim Ducks

Most numbers point to the Chicago Blackhawks taking the Western Conference, but the deciding factors will be the power play and depth. The Ducks are third in the league in man up opportunities, while Chicago isn’t even in the top ten. More importantly, there are no easy roads to the Cup, and the Blackhawks rely too much on Toews and Kane to keep their offense clicking. The grind to the finals will take its toll and wear down the super stars. And don’t forget Bruce Boudreau is hungrier than anyone else to get to the finals after experiencing losses in the playoffs with the Capitals. One thing is for sure; this series would be one for the ages.