As the higher-seeded team in the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks have home ice advantage in their first round series with the Calgary Flames. Home ice is important because it gives the Ducks last change, which allows them to control line matchups – which are expected to be pretty important when the teams are as evenly matched as Calgary and Anaheim are.
The Ducks did a few interesting things with line matching in Game 1.
Most common matchups
In terms of even strength time on ice, here’s a descending glance at the general matchups that Randy Carlyle was able to execute:
- Getzlaf-Eaves-Rakell against Backlund-Frolik-Tkachuk (9:31)
- Kesler -Cogliano-Silfverberg against Monahan-Gaudreau-Ferland (8:37)
- Vermette-Perry-Kase against Bennett-Chiasson-Versteeg (8:18)
- Thompson-Shaw-Wagner against Stajan-Bouma-Brouwer (4:43)
This seems to have all the makings of a three-line series, as I’d expect both teams to seriously lean on their top nine a lot as the series wears on.