Hot Ducks on a playoff path now

By OC Tribune Staff on April 7, 2018 • ( Leave a comment )

JAKOB SILFVERBERG (photo by Bridget Samuels).

It wasn’t so long ago that it looked like the five-time defending NHL Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks might be sitting on the sidelines this Stanley Cup playoff season.

But a five-game winning streak – including seven straight at home – has put the Orange County team right back in the middle of the championship discussion.

The Ducks, who have already clinched a playoff spot, jumped back into third place in the division with a 5-3 win Friday over the Dallas Stars at Honda Center. Anaheim has one more regular season game to play and a victory in that contest in Arizona on Saturday – coupled with a loss by the San Jose Sharks – could propel them all the way into second place.

On Friday, the Ducks got goals from Jakob Silfverberg, Andrew Cogliano, Josh Manson, Rickard Rakell and Derek Grant in the win, which put the team at 43-25-13, worth 99 points. Ryan Miller, playing in goal in place of the injured John Gibson, had 23 saves.

“The whole team is building that confidence, and we’re playing the right way,” Silfverberg said. “We just need to make sure we have a strong finish tomorrow and see who we get.”