The hits will just keep on coming

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This article was published 18/04/2015 (3800 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Whether this Stanley Cup playoff series goes from contact to demolition derby remains an open question, but the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks are on that road.

The Ducks prevailed in the series opener Thursday, 4-2, in a game that featured 83 “official” hits.

“I think it’s the DNA of both teams to play like that,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said at Honda Center on Friday, the off-day ahead of tonight’s Game 2. “I don’t think Winnipeg or us are going to turn into a bunch of ballerinas and play that kind of game. We’re both physical teams. There was a lot of hits.

“That’s what make seven-game series so interesting. I don’t think too much will change there. I think it’ll get ramped up.”

Ducks defenceman Clayton Stoner was a presence physically on Thursday.

“It’s two big teams,” Stoner said after Friday’s short practice. “That’s our style. Both our teams’ style is physicality. I think it’ll continue throughout the series. Whether every guy’s in the lineup at the end of the series, we’ll see. But I expect it to keep up.”

Stoner said he wasn’t sure the series would head this way and towards the expected bad blood.

“You prepare yourself for a physical series and in the back of your mind I don’t think you’re thinking about how tough it’s going to be,” he said. “You don’t really put any judgment on exactly how many hits there’s going to be or this or that. It was right up there with other playoff games we’ve played in that have been hard-hitting, up-tempo.

“That’s what it’s all about is going at each other and who will break first. That’s kind of the way playoff hockey is. It’s been like that for years, so I don’t see it changing any time soon.”

Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano led his team with six hits (Jets defenceman Mark Stuart had eight) and said his team was ready for it.

“I thought it was physical but I didn’t think it was dirty,” Cogliano said. “I thought the pace and physicality of the game was obviously there. For the most part, it was a really hard hockey game… like the games we play against L.A. I think we’re used to those games in our conference.”

The Ducks used their best offensive weapons — Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf — to advantage Thursday.

 

Perry had two goals, including the winner, and four points. Getzlaf had a goal and three points.

“I think it pushes everyone else to be better but it also makes things tough on them, puts a little doubt in their minds,” Cogliano said. “They obviously knew coming into this series what kind of players they are and to have a huge game to start for (Getzlaf and Perry), I think it puts them on their heels playing against those guys.”

Boudreau said Perry’s maturity has been shining through.

“When I first got here, I remember our first game and we took eight minors and I went nuts after the game,” the coach said. “We lost in overtime on another unsportsmanlike (conduct penalty). I said it’s no wonder why you guys don’t win. Over the last couple of years he’s really toned it down. He’s still a competitive, fiery tempered guy that he is but he picks his spots so much better and it’s just getting old and (having) maturity with Corey. His gifts are his gifts. There’s not too many people with hands he has.”

One of the other things the Ducks did very well on Thursday was transform their game from the late-season coast to the Pacific Division title, to the playoff intensity that can’t be faked.

“I think it’s challenging to just turn it on as a switch,” Stoner said. “I don’t think that’s how it works. That was kind of our issue at the end of the season, playing at a high pace. Some nights it was there and some nights it wasn’t Last night I thought we did a good job of matching their intensity. They came out hard at us and took the play to us for a lot of the game. I thought we did a good job of matching that and getting some bounces.”

Cogliano said the Ducks were aware they were in a bit of a twilight zone in late March and early April.

“Sometimes you can be your worst enemy, not playing meaningful games,” he said. “We’ve been watching Winnipeg, I’ve watched Winnipeg the last little bit and they’ve played great playoff games, it seems. They’ve been in one-, two-goal games, shutting out teams and I thought we responded well in terms of not being able to have those type of games down the stretch.”

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Jets coach Paul Maurice was in a cantankerous and sometimes amusing and sometimes sarcastic mood on Friday.

Near the beginning of his press conference, he was asked about his team’s adjustments for Game 2.

“I’m going to have a list of all the adjustments we will make in our game printed out and handed out tomorrow morning,” he said.

Later, when given a question about Ducks defenceman Sami Vatanen, who had three points in Game 1, Maurice blended it all together.

“He’s really good,” the Jets coach said. “I love coming here and talking about how good those guys are.

“Moves the puck well, gets the puck to the net. You saw it on the first goal. They have a number of guys that can skate and move the puck well … so he’s a challenge to find on the way up the ice with his skill set and lots of poise at the blue-line. Probably should be a Norris Trophy candidate. I hear he’s an all-round great guy. And Bruce (Boudreau) is a good guy, too. I love those guys.”

Later, Maurice made a crack about fans, media and in particular, television coverage, saying he watches video of games without the volume.

“Don’t let the volume of the game tell you how it’s played,” he said to reporters.

And as for lineup adjustments, he got just plain silly while not answering.

“I think I’m taking (play-by-play man Dennis) Beyak out of the lineup,” Maurice said. “Didn’t like his attitude last night. But he might play.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca