Deluxe Ducks

Anaheim's lead different than Vancouver's start last year

On the surface, the Red Wings' start to the playoffs this spring looks identical to a year ago. They again find themselves down 2-0 heading to the West Coast. Detroit is playing well, but continues to be frustrated by a team defying the odds in the early going.

Last year, we all know what happened. The Vancouver Canucks capitulated after a center-ice slap shot by Nicklas Lidstrom eluded goaltender Dan Cloutier. The Red Wings, of course, went on to win the Stanley Cup. And they still might this season. Anything is possible.

What strikes me this time around, though, are the differences and not the similarities. Mighty Ducks netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere -- who has been absolutely lights-out fabulous -- is much more fundamentally sound than Cloutier.

Last season, Dominik Hasek was average in the first two games then elevated his game to Dominator status. Curtis Joseph allowed two marginal goals in Game 2 -- including the game-winner -- and was average, at best. No one was surprised when Hasek found his game, but CuJo has never shown the same form as the favorite compared to his capacity for heroics backstopping an underdog.

Further, along with Hasek, head coach Scotty Bowman also retired after last season. Longtime assistant Dave Lewis took over and guided the team seamlessly to the postseason. So far, though, Mighty Ducks first-year head coach Mike Babcock has been the better bench boss by far. He dictated the matchups he wanted, even while having to declare his hand first as the road coach.

Babcock persisted with his game plan and had his guys well versed in the art of changing on the fly. The result? Steve Rucchin and Keith Carney neutralized Sergei Fedorov. More important, Babcock's design worked, creating credibility and giving his team confidence.

And that's what this series is all about now -- confidence. The Ducks have more of it than when they started, and the Red Wings know they're in the midst of a fight. They also know they can come back because they did it last year. In the backs of their minds, though, all that experience also tells them that this year is entirely different for plenty of reasons.

Three Stars

First Star: As was the case in Game 1, there is no Mighty Ducks victory without Giguere.

Second Star: Veteran Rob Niedermayer showed off his solid all-around game and versatility, which is exactly why general manager Bryan Murray went out and acquired him at the deadline.

Third Star: Leading the ruggedness on the blueline -- an underrated part of the Ducks' game -- was Carney. He kept the front of his net clear all day long, including a goal-saving play on Brendan Shanahan in the second period.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com. Eliot will provide Stanley Cup Playoffs commentary throughout the postseason and is also broadcasting games for NHL Radio.

 

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