Anaheim Ducks ready for Winnipeg whiteout

Coach Bruce Boudreau says they’ll use crowd’s energy to their advantage

By: Ed Tait Posted: 1:24 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 20, 2015

The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to complicate this: they are up 2-0 in their Western Conference playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets and hope to serve up more of the same in Game 3.

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The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to complicate this: they are up 2-0 in their Western Conference playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets and hope to serve up more of the same in Game 3.

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This article was published 20/04/2015 (3816 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The Anaheim Ducks aren’t going to complicate this: they are up 2-0 in their Western Conference playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets and hope to serve up more of the same in Game 3.

And the crowd at MTS Centre? Well, heck, they can feed off that, too.

“It’s going to be awesome,” said Ducks centre Ryan Getzlaf. “This is what playoffs is all about when you get all the fans against you, all the fans chanting. It’s a good time. We’ll just go through our normal routine. It’s about preparing for a hockey game. It’s going to be a loud building, it’s going to be fun. It’s about controlled emotions, the first five minutes make sure you’re out there doing the right things, doing the little things that get you into the hockey game.

Jeff McIntosh / the canadian press files
Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf knows his club is facing a very formidable opponent in the first round, which opens tonight at the Honda Center. — Jeff McIntosh / the canadian press files Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf knows his club is facing a very formidable opponent in the first round, which opens tonight at the Honda Center.

“I’ll look around and enjoy it. This is what hockey’s all about. I love these kinds of situations.”

Asked if, being from Saskatchewan, he can appreciate what tonight’s game means to Winnipeg and it’s fans, Getzlaf added:

“Part of me as a hockey fan and a hockey player appreciates this. It’s great to see a city rally like that and we’re looking forward to it tonight.”

The Ducks are unbeaten against Winnipeg in five games this season, including two at MTS Centre during the regular season – a 4-3 shootout win on Dec. 7th and a 4-1 victory a week later on Dec. 13th. Coach Bruce Boudreau understands fully the big picture here, but will ask his group to stick to the gameplan while trying to soak up and use the crowd’s energy to their own advantage.

“I’m pretty focused in on our team. But I read the morning papers. I watch TV,” said Boudreau. “I mean, we know it’s a pretty big deal… in Winnipeg for the first time in 19 years to have an NHL playoff game here. We also know how rabid the fans are here about their hockey, they love their hockey. I don’t think that goes unnoticed, but in the whole scheme of things, we’re more focused on what we’re doing. We’re happy for the city, we’re happy for everything as far as the growth of the game and what hockey in Winnipeg has done. But we’re more focused on what we have to accomplish today.”

The Ducks welcomed back centre Nate Thompson to the ice on Monday, but it’s unlikely he’ll be ready to go until Wednesday’s Game 4. That could mean veteran Tomas Fleischmann will be in the lineup tonight.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait