Opponent Notes
The Ducks have underperfomed most of the season, and when Ryan Whitney leads your team in TOI/G, you have a potential reason. At 4-6-2, it seems best to say that Anaheim has started slow. This is a team that will inevitably be in it when the playoffs roll around, I just feel they're too talented, though not at all deep, to make the playoffs. Being a legitimate contender is another story.
Any team Teemu Selanne is on is instantly better. This is probably the purest goal scorer over 25 in the NHL today. Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan are also constant offensive threats, and if the Penguins let up for even a few minutes, they could find themselves in a hole.
Defense is what I see as Anaheim's biggest fault. While they don't have a lot of depth at other positions, the starters on defense would probably be no higher than a 2nd pair defenseman on most teams. That said, Whitney and James Wisniewski have done an adequate job for the Ducks, but you need to have more than one successful pair of defensemen to succeed.
The goaltending situation in Anaheim is exciting to say the least. When your backup is named Jean-Sebastien Giguere, it's definatly exciting times. Jonas Hiller dethroned the often consistent Giguere (who was actually a pick of the Whalers waaaaay back in the day, 13th overall in 1995) late last season and helped the Ducks push the eventual Cup-runner up Red Wings to seven games. Hiller hasn't been as consistent this season, but still has performed as well as can be expected.
The keys to the Penguins winning this will be take the crowd out of it, get an early lead and keep pressing. If they can follow that recipe, they should be able to escape with the W. A good offensive push and score early will help take the crowd out of the game, and should put the Ducks in disarray for a bit.
Predictions
My Prediction: Penguins will escape with the win, 4-3
Mr Mystic says: The cards say Anaheim wins, I'll be interested to see the result, as I pulled a Joker. Ducks win 5-3
Records (Correct-Wrong(Correct Score))
TH: 8-5(0)
MM: 9-4(1)
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