Ducks turning back the clock with incredible streak
Remember the Anaheim Ducks, that team that couldn't put up points at the beginning of the season? Well, guess what, they figured out how to score again, and that should strike fear into the NHL's other teams.
Related - VIDEO: Corey Perry sent airborne after scoring on Coyotes
The Ducks have climbed from the depths of the Western Conference to sit in third in the Pacific Division, just one point behind the second-place San Jose Sharks.
The club can thank an incredible five-week stretch of hockey for their fortunate placing. Since Dec. 27, the Ducks have strung together a record of 13-3-1 in their last 17 games, including their current six-game winning streak.
Cogliano: "That was the biggest stretch of the season. These were playoff games. We've positioned ourselves well now." #LetsGoDucks
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) February 6, 2016
What's old is new again
The Ducks are finally starting to resemble the club that came within a win of punching its ticket to the Stanley Cup Final last season. In fact, if they maintain the pace from their past 17 contests, the club would go roughly 24-6-2 in their final 32 games.
That would bring their final season record to an impressive 49-24-9, giving them 107 points in the standings - just two shy of the 109 they managed last season.
Though that type of streak is likely unattainable, the team has nevertheless turned things around.
Welcome back, offense
The biggest difference is that the club has finally begun to put pucks past opposing netminders. After being shut out in five of their first eight games to begin the year and mustering just six goals in that span, the Ducks have connected 35 times in their last nine games.
That's a goals-per-game jump from roughly 0.625 to 3.89, which can largely be attributed to the reawakening of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, who have flipped a switch since the season's inception.
| Player | Points (First 10 Games) | Points (Last 10 Games) |
|---|---|---|
| Perry | 3 | 9 |
| Getzlaf | 5 | 10 |
.@HampeLindholm: "We've started scoring, but we need to keep playing good, defensive hockey. That's what you need to do to get somewhere."
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) February 6, 2016
Despite the offensive rejuvenation, though, the team's goaltending remains the club's biggest strength. They sit fifth in the league with a 2.30 goals-against average and 12th with a .916 save percentage.
The Ducks aren't out of the water yet, with more than a third of the season still left to play, but, after a start that saw many calling for the firing of head coach Bruce Boudreau, the team looks to have gotten themselves over the hump.
Be mindful of these Ducks. They've had their struggles, but they more closely resemble the powerhouse of last season than that early-season offensive wreck.