Midway through the NHL season, it didn't appear as though the Anaheim Ducks, nor the Nashville Predators, would reach the postseason.
Thanks to drastic second-half turnarounds for both teams, though, the Ducks and Predators are set to square off in the opening round.
Nashville won the season series 2-1, but the clubs haven't met since November. Both strong possession teams that have trouble scoring, this has the makings of a long, tightly contested series.
Tale of the tape
| Ducks | Statistic | Predators |
|---|---|---|
| 103 | Points | 96 |
| 2.62 (17th) | Goals per game | 2.73 (13th) |
| 2.29 (1st) | Goals against | 2.6 (14th) |
| 23.1% (1st) | Power play | 19.7% (10th) |
| 87.2% (1st) | Penalty kill | 81.2% (16th) |
| 52.4% (5th) | Corsi | 52.5% (4th) |
| 6.6% (T-28th) | 5-on-5 SH% | 7.3% (18th) |
| 92.4% (T-18th) | 5-on-5 SV% | 92.2% (22nd) |
| Getzlaf: 63 | Leading scorer | Forsberg: 64 |
Key players
John Gibson and Frederik Andersen
Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau joked he may flip a coin to decide between Gibson and Andersen to start the series, and luckily for him, both sides of that coin are reliable between the pipes.
| Name | GP | Record | GAA | Sv% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andersen | 43 | 22-9-7 | 2.30 | .919 | 3 |
| Gibson | 40 | 21-13-4 | 2.07 | .920 | 4 |
In a series that will likely be hard-pressed for goalies, the Ducks - no matter who starts in net - have a capable goalie to shut down opponents.
Ryan Johansen
Someone needs to score for Nashville, and a strong series from Johansen could solidify his worth to the Predators' brass.
Acquired in one of the biggest trades of the season, Johansen tallied only eight goals in 42 games with Nashville, but a good showing in the playoffs would erase a troublesome regular season.
Beyond Filip Forsberg and James Neal, Nashville's offense needs to step up to beat the team that allowed the fewest goals in the 82-game campaign, and although it's a small sample size, Johansen has tallied six points in six career playoff games.
Corey Perry
Perry's style of play is built for the playoffs.
The gritty winger excels in getting under opponents' skin, and is a menace in front of the net. Nashville's top defensive pairing of Roman Josi and Shea Weber will be in charge of neutralizing Perry's time and space, but that's easier said than done.
The 30-year-old Perry has already racked up 90 career playoff contests, in which he's scored 32 goals and 42 assists.
Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Location | Networks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri. April 15 | 10:30 p.m. | Anaheim | NBCSN/CBC/TVA Sports |
| Sun. April 17 | 10:30 p.m. | Anaheim | NBCSN/Sportsnet/TVA Sports |
| Tue. April 19 | 9:30 p.m. | Nashville | USA/SN360/TVA Sports |
| Thu. April 21 | 8 p.m. | Nashville | CNBC/FX Canada/TVA Sports |
| Sat. April 23* | TBD | Anaheim | TBD |
| Mon. April 25* | TBD | Nashville | TBD |
| Wed. April 27* | TBD | Anaheim | TBD |
*If necessary
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.