THE MIRAGE
If, as we postulated here, this segment of Anaheim's season was to
determine the probablility of home-ice for the playoffs, then the
vision of opening round one at the Pond has disappeared like an
oasis in the mind's eye of a thirsty nomad. With the exception of a
spirited performance against the Kings, the Ducks failed to inspire
much hope for postseason success over the past two weeks. A
come-from-ahead tie against Vancouver (blowing 3-0 and 4-1 leads)
saw the end of a team-high seven-game winning streak, and things
got worse from there.
As we suggested might happen, Teemu Selanne's 17-game points streak
came to an end at the hands of Ed Belfour and the Dallas Stars, who
threw a shutout at the vastly overmatched Ducks. Not that it
mattered, because Phoenix also blanked them the very next night.
The Phoenix game was a huge disappointment, because the bad habits
Anaheim has been displaying of late -- including loosey-goosey
defensive zone play -- cost them major emotional currency against a
possible first-round opponent.
Most distressing, however, was a dreadful performance against the
Pavel Bure-less Florida Panthers. The Panthers, noting that
everyone on Anaheim's bench was sound asleep, cracked open a 1-1
tie with four third period goals -- including one on a penalty shot
by Ray Whitney. Compounding the team's lethargic play was a
seriously off night for Guy Hebert, who let in three soft goals
(the first three) along the way. One can't scapegoat Hebert,
however, who has stolen far more games than he has given away, as
the team simply failed to show up...again.
BREAKS GO BOTH WAYS
Skeptics noted that even during the it-seems-like-so-long-ago
winning streak Anaheim was catching quite a few breaks. They were
allowing a lot of shots (a trend that has continued, with Hebert
facing 39 or more in each of the past three games), not spending
much time in front of the opposition's net, and saving themselves
with their league-leading power play.
But now the breaks seem to be going the other way. The power play
has suffered from injuries to Freddie Olausson and, now, Steve
Rucchin. Hebert isn't saving the team's bacon on every defensive
breakdown -- though he continues to do his share -- and even
Selanne's streak ended on a bad break: Olausson's heel was passing
through the crease when Teemu notched a goal that was negated by
the officials. ("That rule," Selanne would say later, "is ruining
hockey.")
In an effort to get the team to make its own breaks, coach Craig
Harstburg has planned a four-day minicamp prior to Anaheim's next
game, again against Dallas. With the Stars next on the agenda, and
the playoff drive heating up in front (Phoenix) and behind (St.
Louis) them, it's a tough time to be slumping.
Despite the slump, it's unlikely President/GM Pierre Gauthier will
make any moves, certainly any that sacrifice youth or draft picks.
It's clear that -- even if they can make a good postseason run --
this is not a Stanley Cup year for Anaheim, and there's no single
player available out there who can make it one. That said, it makes
more sense to let the team grow together than to make significant
changes.
FLASH: 40
On the positive side of the ledger, the Finnish Flash hit the
40-goal mark against the Panthers, and continues to challenge for
the inagural Maurice Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal
scorer. It's the fourth straight year Selanne has hit the 40-goal
plateau, though he claims hitting 50, as he has the past two years,
is unlikely. "The way the league is now," said Selanne, "it's
possible no one will."
But the league would have to search long and hard to find a better
recipient of the first Richard. Selanne is a bubbling cauldron of
optimism and fan-friendliness, and the NHL would be blessed to have
him on display on awards night.
COMING UP
After home games against Dallas and Calgary, on a playoff run of
their own, the Ducks embark on a brutal roadie against New Jersey,
the Rangers, the Islanders, Detroit and Dallas again. Then it's
home for tilts against San Jose, Phoenix and St. Louis. All of
those teams, save for the Isles and Dallas, are fighting for
playoff positioning. It's entirely possible that unless this ship
is righted, and fast, St. louis will supplant Anaheim for the No. 5
slot in the West -- giving the Blues a match-up against Phoenix and
relegating the Ducks to an opening-round visit to Detroit.
