So... We Meet Again...

Looks like a rematch of the 2003 series. On the one hand, there are some positives to playing you right off the bat - you've got some of the classiest fans in the league, and I really enjoyed the give and take with you back in 2003. But then on the other, if i had a choice I'd rather not play you at all. You're one of the two teams I didn't want any part of (the Sharks being the other). But, you've got to play the good teams at some point anyway, and we might as well start with you as anyone else.

Let's get down to it. Both teams are much better than they were last time we faced each other in the playoffs - how do you guys see this unfolding? What do you Duck people think we can expect to see over the next week and a half?

First off, thanks for the kudos. GL to your team as well. You guys have classy fans too! :) Have nothing against the Wild. (Well, not now anyway). ;) I think that it will be a great and exciting series. The X-Factor is Backstrom and Gaborik for the Wild and Selanne/McDonald for the Ducks I think.

GL again! :)

BTW, I am thinking of going to Minnesota next season to catch a Duck game. :)

Not many players left from that series:

Anaheim:
Giguere
Pahlsson
R. Niedermeyer

Minesota:
Walz
Gaborik
Schultz
Fernandez
Carney (defected)

You're one of the two teams I didn't want any part of (the Sharks being the other). But, you've got to play the good teams at some point anyway, and we might as well start with you as anyone else.


Right back at ya, I know Canucks fans that were rooting for us to win the division just so they didnt have to play you guys

Right back at ya, I know Canucks fans that were rooting for us to win the division just so they didnt have to play you guys

Ducks have matched up pretty well vs. Vancouver (and Luongo) too as long as they play physically.

In a thread on the Canucks forum a while back, I believe the Ducks and Minny were the 2 most mentioned teams that the fans least wanted their team to face...esp. since the Ducks are "just a bunch of goons." :sarcasm:

Anyway, should be a good series...I'm hoping this time around Giggy can get 4 shutouts in a row instead of just 3. ;)

You're one of the two teams I didn't want any part of (the Sharks being the other). But, you've got to play the good teams at some point anyway, and we might as well start with you as anyone else.

All the teams in are good. Getting past the first round for everybody is going to be an absolute nightmare. I can't wait.

Interesting matchup. I don't really like playing Minnesota, I feel like games against them are boring. I think their trap is a bad fit for us. And I feel like they've been consistently underrated this year.

Although they're a team that's much better than the sum of their parts. Carney's a rock defensively, but you look at their defense and wonder how they get it done. Skoula? Foster?

One good thing for us is we have home ice, and Minnesota's the worst Western team other than Calgary on the road.

To me the key is Pahlsson's line against Gaborik/Demitra.

Key number two may be the play of Backstrom, who's been on a tear.

I kind of think we'll either win in like 7 or Minnesota will win in like 5. But I'm really bad at predictions like that so you'd be better off asking Maggie the monkey.

Although they're a team that's much better than the sum of their parts. Carney's a rock defensively, but you look at their defense and wonder how they get it done. Skoula? Foster?

Well, Carney ain't what he was in '03, and he was no spring chicken then either. Still, they'll be tough, but then everyone is tough in the west. It's not like there was ever going to be a fairly easy opponent, no matter where we finished.

One good thing for us is we have home ice, and Minnesota's the worst Western team other than Calgary on the road.

They're definitely a "matchup" team defensively, as shown by a fairly significant GA differential when playing home vs playing away. The Ducks are the opposite, where the offense is much better at home than on the road. Not surprising, given that we have not one but two star defensemen, but a somewhat top-heavy offense.

To me that says the home games will be about containing their top line, and the road games will be about getting secondary scoring.

Not many players left from that series:

Anaheim:
Giguere
Pahlsson
R. Niedermeyer

Minesota:
Walz
Gaborik
Schultz
Fernandez
Carney (defected)

You forgot about Butch...

Interesting matchup. I don't really like playing Minnesota, I feel like games against them are boring. I think their trap is a bad fit for us. And I feel like they've been consistently underrated this year.

Although they're a team that's much better than the sum of their parts. Carney's a rock defensively, but you look at their defense and wonder how they get it done. Skoula? Foster?

One good thing for us is we have home ice, and Minnesota's the worst Western team other than Calgary on the road.
To me the key is Pahlsson's line against Gaborik/Demitra.

Key number two may be the play of Backstrom, who's been on a tear.

I kind of think we'll either win in like 7 or Minnesota will win in like 5. But I'm really bad at predictions like that so you'd be better off asking Maggie the monkey.

Without Gaborik we are one of the worst, but ever since he came back from his injury the Wild have been just as good on the road as they were at home and while Gabroik was out during the reg season the wild lost 11 in a row on the road, i think its eleven but it might be more.

Good luck to you guys in the series. It should be a fun one to watch and i think we will go seven games,but not sure who wins it hopefully the wild.

I'm going to go out on a limb with a huge prediction: Minnesota will score more goals this year than they did in the 2003 series. Still 4-0, but they'll score at least a couple this time. :sarcasm:

Well it won't be a sweep that's for sure. In fact, since both teams are so good at home I think it might come down to 7 games. They'll be real tight, low scoring games but I know they will be exciting.

Obviously the key for both teams is shutting down each other's top lines so the line of Getzlaf-Penner-Perry has to be huge. And we have to stay of the box. The Wild have the sixth best PP and we are down a key PKer in Marchant though the PK has played really well of late. So yeah, whoever wins the special teams battle and has the hotter goalie will win I think.

But let me say I'm glad we are playing the Wild for the sheer fact that they have some of the more cordial fans. They also don't have a large contingent at the Pond so I don't have to worry about getting annoyed by an over population of opposing fans. This should be a good one, let the best team win.

Anyone got the vid of Jiggys save from the last series?

Minnesota is peaking at the right time, not sure about the Ducks. The big key to me is getting early leads as well as being physical with Gaborik and Demitra.

Anyone got the vid of Jiggys save from the last series?

You wouldn't be talking about the save he made in the overtime of a scoreless game one, when Gaborik had a yawning net, and slid a backhand that was surely going in, I mean all the Wild players had already raised their sticks in celebration, and this Wild fan jumped off the chair with a huge "Wo-hoo" and a fist pump, and then out of nowhere, out of blue sky came Jiggy's paddle and slammed the door shut to completely suck all the confidence out of that hard-working, blue-collar expansion team... would you?

No, I don't. But thanks for reminding me :damnpc:

Minnesota is peaking at the right time, not sure about the Ducks.

That sort of thing is a bunch of baloney anyway ... there have been teams that were in total disarray heading into the playoffs who ended up winning, and teams that have gone into the playoffs hot who made a quick exit.

In all the years I've been watching hockey I've never really noticed any kind of correlation between how a team plays down the stretch and how well they end up doing in the postseason.

Anyone got the vid of Jiggys save from the last series?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIfffJDJU0

around 2m 50s...

Interesting match up on coaching level. I respect mr. Lemaire very very much, so will get a great challenge on mr. Carlyle. I'ma be watching these two with my binoculaars and magnifying glass fo sho. Lemaire is one tough cookie to break.

I thought of another important key. I think we need speed from our defensemen, especially Niedermayer, in getting the puck to the blue line and then dumping it in for the forecheck to spread the defense out and prevent us from getting trapped to death.

I've got bad vibes about this series. The styles of play, Jacques Lemaire, Derek Boogaard, the whole thing. I'd rather have had Calgary or Dallas or even on the road at Nashville. Not optimistic here.

I've got bad vibes about this series. The styles of play, Jacques Lemaire, Derek Boogaard, the whole thing. I'd rather have had Calgary or Dallas or even on the road at Nashville. Not optimistic here.

The trap just forces you to dump and chase, which honestly is probably not a bad thing. Our team does best when they're forechecking, rather than trying to get too cute.

I think the duck's can minimize gaborik and co. pretty easily. I can see the ducks easily dominating puck control down low against the wild's D.

I'd rather play the wild than calgary.

I'm kind of afraid to face a hot Manny Fernandez or Backstrom. Will Fernandez be back in the line by the start of the series?

Wait nobady's said it yet?

No shootouts!!! We've locked it up right there I think.

I do wish we didn't have to play a team w/ Boogard. I don't want him knocking CP or anyone else out for the rest of the playoffs.

I hope the Boogeyman and the mustaches will get to play in the series:fight:

You forgot about Butch...

Ah, yes I did. I don't even remember the five games he played.

Well this is the series that Parros was specifically acquired for. Lets hope he can at least hold his own vs Boogard.
Beuch needs a couple huge hits on the fragile Demitra and Gaborik early to set a tone and down the stretch Pronger and Neids have to be ready to play 30+ min a night.
X-factor is the kid line

I hope the Boogeyman and the mustaches will get to play in the series:fight:

I hope we focus on the Wild and not waste time worrying about their worst player who seldom sees the ice.

Dress a skilled, fast lineup, use our top dmen to shut down Gabby and Rolston and we win. Minnesota sure as hell wont be worrying about May or Parros - why would we focus any attention on their least talented player? If he does dress then its a bonus for us since he cannot play hockey and fighting is a non issue during the playoffs.

The Wild have plenty of skill and it would be wise if all of our focus was on them.

Focus on a knucklehead like Boogy and its anybodys guess what happens. Stupid penalties from May and Parros could swing the series in favor of the Wild since they have an outstanding PP.

Ducks in 6 or less - unless we are outsmarted by Lemaire.

Minnesota's the worst Western team other than Calgary on the road.


Was 4-15-1 on the road halfway through the season, but has been 15-4-2 on the road since January 11th (19-19-3 Overall).

Wait nobady's said it yet?

No shootouts!!! We've locked it up right there I think.


The Wild haven't won a shootout in ages. They're much better scoring goals under pressure now and taking teams out before the game gets to the shootout.

The Wild are 15-3-3 in their last 21, in that time:

13 regulation wins
3 regulation losses
2 overtime wins.
0 overtime losses.
0 shootout wins
3 shootout losses.

To me the key is Pahlsson's line against Gaborik/Demitra.



You hit the nail on the head.

Where is the offense going to come for Minnesota? The Ducks have home ice and can line match in games 1 and 2. Gaborik and Demitra are going to have no space with Pahlsson and his linemates on them the entire series. Carlyle will find a way to get Pahlsson back over the boards when Gaborik is out there even in games 3 and 4.

All the teams in the Western Playoffs are capable of winning on any given night. The Wild should not be taken lightly, but if the Ducks stick to their game plan and the Kid line steps up, this one should go to the Ducks in 5 games.

I hope the Boogeyman and the mustaches will get to play in the series:fight:

Parros will be in there to cancel out Boogaard, don't worry.

Was 4-15-1 on the road halfway through the season, but has been 15-4-2 on the road since January 11th (19-19-3 Overall).
Yikes, that's quite the turnaround. I guess I remember around midpoint hearing that the Wild were a bad team on the road and kept that impression. I guess I did realize that they'd improved based on the fact that they were pseudo-500 now.

Where is the offense going to come for Minnesota?

From Rolston (31 goals), Demitra (25), Koivu and Bouchard (20 apiece), and Parrish (19, plus at least 3 good goals that were disallowed by bad officiating). For all practical purposes, the Wild have 6 20-goal scorers on their squad. This is not a one-man team anymore. They have a very balanced attack, with two solid scoring lines, a 3rd line that contributes regular goals, and a 4th line that's a legitimate threat every time they're on the ice, too. Don't underestimate that aspect of their game; they're as good at scoring them now as they are at preventing them.

I hope we focus on the Wild and not waste time worrying about their worst player who seldom sees the ice.

Dress a skilled, fast lineup, use our top dmen to shut down Gabby and Rolston and we win. Minnesota sure as hell wont be worrying about May or Parros - why would we focus any attention on their least talented player? If he does dress then its a bonus for us since he cannot play hockey and fighting is a non issue during the playoffs.

The Wild have plenty of skill and it would be wise if all of our focus was on them.

Focus on a knucklehead like Boogy and its anybodys guess what happens. Stupid penalties from May and Parros could swing the series in favor of the Wild since they have an outstanding PP.

Ducks in 6 or less - unless we are outsmarted by Lemaire.

yeah lets completely abandon the type of game that got us here and play Shannon and play the other teams style. :shakehead
It worked great the last Detroit game:shakehead
Burke and Carlyle > your Euro way of thinking :shakehead

That sort of thing is a bunch of baloney anyway ... there have been teams that were in total disarray heading into the playoffs who ended up winning, and teams that have gone into the playoffs hot who made a quick exit.

In all the years I've been watching hockey I've never really noticed any kind of correlation between how a team plays down the stretch and how well they end up doing in the postseason.
You may be right but I don't like the way the Ducks have been blowing leads at the end here. Also a thing to watch is Jiggy, will all the rest really help, or hurt him?

I hope we focus on the Wild and not waste time worrying about their worst player who seldom sees the ice.

Dress a skilled, fast lineup, use our top dmen to shut down Gabby and Rolston and we win. Minnesota sure as hell wont be worrying about May or Parros - why would we focus any attention on their least talented player? If he does dress then its a bonus for us since he cannot play hockey and fighting is a non issue during the playoffs.

The Wild have plenty of skill and it would be wise if all of our focus was on them.

Focus on a knucklehead like Boogy and its anybodys guess what happens. Stupid penalties from May and Parros could swing the series in favor of the Wild since they have an outstanding PP.

Ducks in 6 or less - unless we are outsmarted by Lemaire.
our skilled fast lineup can also be described as soft and sissy. Do you watch the games? we play better with additional toughness IE: Thornton or Parros..Shannon should not see a lick of ice time.

From Rolston (31 goals), Demitra (25), Koivu and Bouchard (20 apiece), and Parrish (19, plus at least 3 good goals that were disallowed by bad officiating). For all practical purposes, the Wild have 6 20-goal scorers on their squad. This is not a one-man team anymore. They have a very balanced attack, with two solid scoring lines, a 3rd line that contributes regular goals, and a 4th line that's a legitimate threat every time they're on the ice, too. Don't underestimate that aspect of their game; they're as good at scoring them now as they are at preventing them.

Your depth has improved I'll give you that, but Rolston is the only guy on that list who really scares me.

I stand by my opinion that if the Pahlsson line shuts down the Gaborik line it's going to be tough going for the Wild in this series.

It's going to be boring trap hockey with the Wild trying to win 2-1 or 1-0. The key will be how the refs call the series, because the Ducks powerplay has been scary good lately.

From the outside looking in at this series, it once again comes down to goaltending. Demitra, if he is predictable, will be a non-factor. If Giguere is hot, this series will be fast - 5 games.

Thanks for the complements wild thing. If the ducks play well, they'll win in 5. If they play poorly, as seen lately, game 6, 7 the ducks or the wild take it. I think our goal scoring is largely in the hands of selanne and the kid line. I remember when the red wing & ducks played in 2003. The wings where predicted to win in 4. they couldn't even give us 5. we all know what happen:) :yo: I hate the wings much less now.

First time poster, though I've lurked these boards for a couple of years (i know...)

The Minnesota Wild are begging to be underestimated and it'll burn the Ducks if they do. They have a lot more offense than the last playoff series against them and if I recall, in that playoff series Minnesota played 2 rounds going at least 6 games each so they were extra tired when facing the Ducks.

This series they will be coming in fresh and will definitely give us a run for our money. It will be an exciting series to watch I hope.

It won't end in 4 games, it will probably go 6 games either way.
Ducks better bring their A game and come out hitting often and hitting hard.

However, if the Ducks sweep, I will take it. :)

First time poster, though I've lurked these boards for a couple of years (i know...)

The Minnesota Wild are begging to be underestimated and it'll burn the Ducks if they do. They have a lot more offense than the last playoff series against them and if I recall, in that playoff series Minnesota played 2 rounds going at least 6 games each so they were extra tired when facing the Ducks.

This series they will be coming in fresh and will definitely give us a run for our money. It will be an exciting series to watch I hope.

It won't end in 4 games, it will probably go 6 games either way.
Ducks better bring their A game and come out hitting often and hitting hard.

However, if the Ducks sweep, I will take it. :)

Welcome to HFBOARDS SmackCrackleNPop!!! :) :) HOPE you have fun HERE! :yo: :handclap:

Glad you decided to join. :) Should be fun!

I doubt anyone on the Ducks is underestimating the Wild. Heck you look at us and some of us are worried. Most of the Ducks in 4 or 5 were posters from other teams on the main board.

I have faith in the ducks, but this series will definitely not be a slam dunk. I will be worried though if we give them the lead early in the games. If anything, Lemaire's teams now how to protect them...

We haven't faced these guys since last year... we have no feel for them and that will give their offense an advantage in the early games.


But like the other posters said, I think we have the size to wear them down in a 7 game series.

I wonder how randy will match up lines 1st game. Obviously Niedermayer Beach & Pahlson's line against Gaborik...

But does he getzalf or mcdonald's line against Rolston? The other get Walz's line.

I just wish we had marchant available to anchor our 4th line... you put him Penner and any nut job and you give the other coach huge matchup problems... without marchant penner and we really become a 3-line team. That may not hurt us in this round but even if we make it to the next round it will take its toll.

Damnit, I want Marchant back!!!

Your depth has improved I'll give you that, but Rolston is the only guy on that list who really scares me.


Bouchard, Koivu, and Parrish go underrated...Bouchard and Koivu though are more set up than goal scorers and Bouchard is probably one of the best stickhandlers in the NHL.

Damnit, I want Marchant back!!!

We all fondly remember Marchant in last seasons playoffs. His speed, passing and penalty killing will be sorely missed.

Its unfortunate that instead of trying to develop some offensive depth during the season we went with Parros and his useless wrestling shtick and for some unknown reason aquired a well past his expiration date Brad Mayday at the deadline.

Mark Hartigan, Shannon and Shawn Thornton may be a decent fourth line, but none of them offer the overall two way ability Todd Marchant gives us.

Getz Perry and Penner will need to star for us to go deep into the playoffs.

Damnit, I want Marchant back!!!

Is Marchant not returning at all? I thought he was day to day...

Then again, torn groin sounds like he won't be back for awhile.

Thanks for the welcome Ducksforcup! I tend to lurk message boards like this one and the one on the official site and allducks.com. I'll try to post more often and be active.

The Wild are going to pay attention to Selanne like we will with Gaborik. I'm hoping they forget about the kid line to their detriment!

Bouchard, Koivu, and Parrish go underrated...Bouchard and Koivu though are more set up than goal scorers and Bouchard is probably one of the best stickhandlers in the NHL.

It always seems like Bouchard scores against the Ducks... :cry:

EDIT: This year alone, he has 5 goals and 1 assist against the Ducks...

As a counter to that though, Scott Niedermayer has 3 goals and 3 assists in the 4 games played against the Wild this season. :)

Is Marchant not returning at all? I thought he was day to day...

Marchant had surgery and they estimated that he'll be out a month. That would be until about the conference finals or finals, if we get that far.

I doubt anyone on the Ducks is underestimating the Wild. Heck you look at us and some of us are worried. Most of the Ducks in 4 or 5 were posters from other teams on the main board.

Yeah, I was kinda starting to figure that out. You can see a distinct difference in the posting styles between the "Ducks in 4" people and the rest of the posters here. That's one thing I always liked about Anahiem fans; as a group, you folks really know your hockey, and you tend to be intellectually honest in your evaluations.

Thing is, neither group of fans knows the other team as well as we know our own team. Nature of the beast. And as a couple of other posters have mentioned, it's a slam dunk that even though we don't know the other team all that well, the coaching staffs sure as hell do. We can misunderestimate each other's teams all we want, make goofy predictions and silly-assed generalizations about the other team - but the players themselves are sure as hell taking one another seriously, and that's all that matters. It's going to be a tough, hard-fought series, probably going 6 and maybe going 7 games. Anytime a series goes that long, anyone can win it, but still, if i had to bet I'd go Anaheim in 7. It's going to be one hell of a series, maybe the best series either team will play all year. Just a pity that for one team, it will be the only series they play all year.

I was dreading this match up for the past three weeks because I wanted to follow both teams for the first two series at least! I'm from Minnesota but have been here in L.A. for ten years. I love the Ducks and the King's. Yeah I'm one of those. Hockey who**s. Yup love them both. Love the Wild Too because I'm Moving back someday! Even sold the wife on the Idea.

even thought this is my worst fear for first round. Its win win! :yo: