Anaheim Ducks look to continue hot start with win over Coyotes

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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) – Anaheim Ducks /

Here are the Anaheim Ducks three keys to win the game:

Limit the time and space of Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Ekman-Larsson is the number one defenseman of the Coyotes. He is one of the best offensive defensemen in the game when he can work in the offensive zone. He scored 42 points in 82 games last season.

The Ducks need to make sure they keep the puck off his stick and constantly crowd and pressure him. The message is clear: do not allow him to skate freely and find his teammates in open ice.

If he is allowed to roam around undetected, the Ducks will be in for a long night. Ekman-Larsson is especially dangerous running the point on the power play.

With young snipers Perlini and Keller on the ice as part of the primary power play unit, the Ducks need to have someone in front of him at all times. That means any Duck player getting in front of the passing and shooting lines to render him ineffective.

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot

As Wayne Gretzky would say, you would miss 100% of the shots you do not take.

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The Ducks have escaped with wins due to high-quality goaltending from John Gibson and capitalizing on the scoring chances they are getting. But in order to be more successful, the Ducks will need to start getting more shots to the net. That starts with getting more offensive zone time. Once they are in the zone, the Ducks need to have more of a shot first mentality.

Far too often, good opportunities to direct the puck toward the net are getting passed up. The Ducks did have two chances go off the crossbar against the Red Wings (Defenseman Marcus Petterson’s wrist shot redirected off Silfverberg’s skate onto the left crossbar and Sam Steel‘s backhand hit the top right off the crossbar).

The Ducks are most successful when they have their defensemen getting involved. Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, and Brandon Montour will need to use their speed and lead the attack from the back end to get the puck into the attacking zone. They can then push the opposition’s defense back and establish a forecheck to wear them down.

I’d like to see the Ducks get 30-35 shots on net on a regular basis for this game.

Don’t Tax John Gibson in Net

Gibson has been there to stop all but four shots that have come his way. He has stopped 91 of the first 95 shots he faced. In short, the Ducks have leaned heavily on him to keep them in games. There comes a time when Gibson may have an off night and this could be one of those nights.

That being said, the Ducks need to make sure they are stout defensively and do not allow too many quality chances to a young, fast Coyotes team. Gibson can’t stop all the shots he faces, especially if they are in a high danger area. What I am asking is the Ducks play with poise and prevent turnovers to not put Gibson in odd-man rushes or tough situations.

The Ducks only allowed 21 shots on net to the Red Wings, but the Wings missed several point-blank opportunities that either went over or to the side of the net. Its possible the Ducks are not so lucky this time around.

Nevertheless, Discipline, cohesiveness, and team chemistry will play a huge role in the Ducks success as they do not want to put so much pressure on their number one goaltender this early in this season.

Gibson is sensational, but the Ducks need to make sure they don’t rely on him too much. Depending too much on him could lead to an injury the Ducks can ill-afford with all the other ones they are currently going through.

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Prediction: The Anaheim Ducks will get off to a quick start, scoring the first two goals. Arizona will claw back, but the Ducks will get a goal on the power play to stop their momentum.

Ekman-Larsson will be neutralized for the most part, but the Coyotes will mount a late charge in the third period and throw a ton of shots on Gibson. He will stop them all. Ducks win 4-2.

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