Ducks rookies taking flight in these playoffs
Anaheim Ducks rookie goalie John Gibson makes a save against the Los Angeles Kings. (Reuters)
Perhaps the Anaheim Ducks rookies simple do not know any better.
Devante Smith-Pelly, Sami Vatanen and John Gibson weren’t told they’re not supposed be difference-makers in the NHL playoffs, having spent a good portion of the year in the minors.
Yet, heading into Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night, the trio helped turn the tide and have the Ducks a win away from advancing.
“They’re doing well,” said Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. “With Gibson, it’s still a small sample size. With Devo (Smith-Pelly) he has been up here before, this is his third year. This year in the AHL I thought (Norfolk head coach) Trent Yawney did a great job in preparing him to come up here.
“I think he’s just sort of sowing his oats, type thing. And Sami has all the confidence in the world. I don’t think any stage would bother him at all.”
Smith-Pelly, 21, scored two goals in the 4-3, win over the Kings on Monday, giving the Ducks a 3-2 series lead. Gibson, called up three days earlier, made 39 saves to collect his second consecutive playoff victory.
Vatanen went from the farm to the Ducks’ first-unit power play, playing nearly 21 minutes in Game 5.
“It’s been a pleasure to play with them,” said Ducks defenceman Ben Lovejoy. “We’ve gotten some great energy, some great play, and some clutch play out of them. Devante has been awesome. I think he had 10 hits in the first game, he’s scored big goal after big goal. Sammy has come up and really stabilized things. He’s so fast, he’s so good with the puck and he’s been able to spark things from the back end.”
Vatanen was summoned from the AHL after the Ducks lost the first two games of the series. The Ducks felt they needed more offensive punch and mobility out of their back end.
He has been used in all key situations since his arrival.
In Game 5, only Francois Beauchemin saw more ice time for the Ducks than their 22-year-old Finnish defenceman.
“We’ve had some good defencemen all year,” Lovejoy said. “But he brings another asset to the team that perhaps we were lacking in the first two games.”
Gibson, 20, was brought in for the injured Frederik Andersen and went on to shutout the Kings in his first NHL start.
The Pittsburgh product had four NHL games on his resume before being handed the reins by Boudreau, who felt the rookie gave his club the best chance to win.
Gibson was chosen over Jonas Hiller, who started the first two games of the series.
“Nobody needs to talk any more about John Gibson,” Lovejoy said. “He’s been a pleasure to play in front of. He’s just made all the saves. He’s exactly what you want in a goalie. We do pride ourselves in playing team defence with the other guys and the other team is trying — they’re trying to score, they’re trying to beat us too and he’s been very good. He’s been better than very good in the two games that he’s played.”
Smith-Pelly, meanwhile, was called up in the last month of the season and had to bide his time before becoming a regular in the lineup.
The Scarborough, Ont., product was a healthy scratch in the Ducks opening game of the playoffs, but then went on to score twice in the series clincher against the Dallas Stars.
Smith-Pelly was moved up to the top line to replace the injured Matt Beleskey in Game 4 and has scored three goals while playing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
“I’m not overly surprised, they’ve been doing a great job through the year here,” said Getzlaf. “I’ve said at the start of this thing that a lot of those young guys got a lot of experience last year and felt what it was like to lose in a Game 7 situation. Those are things that guys build on through the years, and experience always helps.”
The three do not seem overwhelmed by their current situation and responded when the Ducks were backed into a corner, having to play Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles down 2-0 in the series.
“Sami’s played for the silver medal for the Olympics; Gibson has played in the World Championships; Devo has been in the Memorial Cup,” Boudreau said. “They’ve been on big stages before, it’s not like this is the first time they’ve ever heard a loud building. I think that has prepared them for where they are now.”