Nobody knew which teams would hit the ground running in the NHL’s lockout-shortened, 48-game regular season, but the Anaheim Ducks have emerged as one of the top teams in the league. Having missed the playoffs last season, the Ducks began anew in 2013, and now Anaheim is on the verge of claiming its first Pacific Division title since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007. The Ducks’ captain and center, Ryan Getzlaf, has paced the team from the outset of the season, leading the squad in both goals and assists, and his efforts have Anaheim in prime position to make a significant run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As of April 12, the Ducks are the second seed in the Western Conference, and if the NHL standings remain the same, they would take on Ryan Suter, Zach Parise, and the seventh-seeded Minnesota Wild.
Before fans focus all of their attention on Ducks playoff tickets, Anaheim still has some significant games left in the regular season that will help set the tone for the playoffs. Coach Bruce Boudreau’s squad has tough games remaining against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings (April 13), back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers (April 21-22), and a season-ending, Pacific Division battle with the Phoenix Coyotes at the Honda Center (April 27). As long as standouts like Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Saku Koivu, and Teemu Selanne continue their strong play, the Ducks have as good a chance as anyone in the Western Conference to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
