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Tonight, after going everywhere out west, The O.C. comes to us, in Anaheim Ducks form, as the Hawks finally play at home for the first time in 2+ weeks and third time on the year. These both are and aren't the Ducks we're used to, though: while the core personnel of Ryan "Funny Joke" Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Teemu Selanne, and Jonas Hiller are still in place, they've now had time to coalesce under Bruce Boudreau and his refreshing IDGAF system of hockey, which has made them much easier to get around but much more lethal with the puck.
The downfall and possible renaissance of Boudreau is mildly fascinating to me. Here was a guy who was the toast of the league for what he had the Capitals doing until too many people got in his ear about how Defense Wins Championships, at which point the Capitals were drastically retooled from a wide-open run-and-gun team making the most of its talent to a trapping, shot-blocking System Team that made the least of it, just because That's What You Have To Do In Today's NHL. And did it work? Fuck, no. The Caps were a disaster last year, Boudreau got canned two months in, and they slogged through the rest of the year, finished seventh, and indeed trapped/shot-blocked the Bruins out of the playoffs before losing to New York in the second round. Then Dale Hunter, whom the Caps hastily dragged out of juniors, decided he was tired of this shit and went back to London. The Caps lost Alex Semin, didn't see fit to replace him with anyone of similar talent, and now the roster is just Ovechkin and shit all around. It's a terrible mess and they'll probably finish 15th in the East.
So anyway, the Ducks are looking really good so far. They're 3rd in the league in goals scored behind only Tampa Bay and the Hawks. Hiller and new backup Victor Fasth have Anaheim's goals allowed at a mediocre 18th, but they can get away with that to some extent. They scored 5 on Brian Elliott on Saturday night and then won the shootout. The Hitchcock System breaks down fast, huh. They should be well-rested for tonight.
Hawks are at 2nd in scoring and tied for 2nd in goals allowed, at 1.917 with Jersey and Nashville and behind Ottawa's unsustainable 1.833. I expect Selanne to adjust that number for us as he always does, but these Ducks aren't the lumbering muckers they used to be. I think Daniel Winnik is another guy who always give us trouble, and he's having a career year.
It'd be so hockey to come home with 10 points out of 12 and then lose at home, but let's hope they pull this one out!
_________________ Molly Lambert wrote: The future holds the possibility to be great or terrible, and since it has not yet occurred it remains simultaneously both.
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Hat trick for Sharpie ....Johnny O has been huge on the penalty kill.......Hawks by 4 goals 
