The Chicago Blackhawks hired Joel Quenneville in the fall of 2008 and in the spring of 2009, they found themselves in the conference finals, staring down the defending champion Detroit Red Wings.
Now the Ducks, who put pen to paper with Quenneville last May, are seeking to replicate that feat by jousting with the Vegas Golden Knights for a chance to advance to the conference finals for the first time since their 2017 loss to the Nashville Predators.
Here are four reasons that the Ducks could be able to keep the stone rolling in Round 2 and move on to face the winner of the Colorado Avalanche-Minnesota Wild series:
Action Jackson
Jackson LaCombe deflected credit after every battle, but was a one-man army in Round 1.
Across all situations, the Ducks outscored the Edmonton Oilers 17-6 and outshot them 106-52 with LaCombe on the ice. His expected goal share was even higher than his actual one, and his nine points were one shy of the league lead held by the since-eliminated Leon Draisaitl.
LaCombe’s starts were evenly split, 25 in the offensive zone, 25 in the defensive zone and 33 in the neutral zone. He was a driving force in each area as he initiated transition from his own zone, transported the puck expertly through the middle of the ice and ran the show in the opposing end.
He was hardly getting the cush gigs, as he and Jacob Trouba went nose-to-nose with Connor McDavid for the entire series and with Draisaitl for much of it. The player wearing No. 2 and occupying the No. 1 defense role for Quenneville was a bit reminiscent of another player who did both for “Coach Q” in Chicago, NHL Top 100 standout Duncan Keith.
Supercharged Power Play
When the Ducks opened their checkbook for assistant coach Jay Woodcroft, they were expecting not only a supporting actor who had played a lead role before but one who would invigorate their hapless man-advantage units.
Although they didn’t always get that throughout the season, they certainly did in Round 1. Woodcroft’s intimate knowledge of the Oilers, whom he coached for two playoff runs, paid huge dividends and the Ducks’ power play dominated.
They posted a jaw-dropping 50% conversion rate and scored eight power play goals in nine fewer opportunities than the Dallas Stars needed to tally 10 times. Their percentage is 30% higher than any team that had advanced through Sunday.
Given that the Ducks were a mere three goals off the playoff 5-on-5 scoring lead, anything close to this breakneck pace with the extra man could make them all but impossible to outscore.
Terry’ing It Up
Troy Terry matched Leo Carlsson’s total with eight points to tie for the best output among Ducks forwards versus Edmonton, but his leadership went beyond the scoreboard.
In addition to playing through injury for much of the season and into the playoffs, the typically all-finesse Terry has even gotten a bit more involved on the physical side despite needing plenty of maintenance days.
He delivered three points in the clincher against Edmonton, including the goal that hammered the Oilers’ coffin shut just after they’d nearly closed to within a goal late in the second period of Game 6.
No one has been plying his trade on Katella Avenue longer than Terry, and that’s shown through in his leadership by example, his support of his teammates and his production. Terry also tied LaCombe’s defense partner, Jacob Trouba, for the most points against Vegas in the season series with five in three games. Carlsson was the most prolific scorer on a per-game basis, accumulating four points in two outings.
Orange Crush
Vegas has swiftly made a reputation for having the best entertainment experience, in-arena atmosphere and other alliterative buzz phrases. But its games still bring a mix of newcomers, out-of-towners and people who couldn’t get tickets to whatever was going on at The Sphere.
But at Honda Center, an edifice far removed from the glitz of the Strip, there’s a farmer’s market vibe: local, organic and more than worth the price.
The Ducks haven’t simply climbed above .500 for the first time in nearly a decade, they’ve done so in thrilling fashion more often than not. They tied for the league lead in comeback wins and were all alone atop the NHL in terms of successful third-period and multi-goal rallies.
While it might not quite rise to the level of the ambiance in Buffalo, where the Sabres made their first playoff appearance since 2011 and advanced for the first time since 2007, Ducks fans have created a close approximation at Honda Center, where Vegas lost both matches during the regular season.