The Anaheim Ducks scored a last-second goal to eke out a 2-1 win in Game 2 of their first round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Jets vs. Ducks, 2015 NHL playoffs results: Ducks stage late rally to win Game 2
Anaheim found a way to beat Pavelec late and win.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Both teams exchanged chances early on, but both Ondrej Pavelec and Frederik Andersen were solid in net for their respective teams. They each received help from their special teams units, as both teams squandered two power play opportunities in the opening frame.
The lack of offensive production continued well into the second period, especially as the Ducks ramped up their hit totals to try and intimidate Winnipeg. The Jets were unfazed, however, and defenseman Adam Pardy eventually scored his first goal in four years to break open the scoring. The goal was not without some minor controversy, however. A Jets player appeared to interfere with Anaheim's goalie on the goal, but video review confirmed Ducks forward Ryan Kesler shoved him into the net to instigate it. The goal counted.
But the momentum wouldn't last. Anaheim upped the pressure in the third, continuing to test Pavelec despite his best efforts. When Andrew Ladd took a penalty midway through the period, the game-tying goal by Cam Fowler that followed was sort of inevitable.
And, considering how the Ducks have mastered comebacks all season, so was the game-winning goal with 19 seconds left.
3 Things We Learned
1. This is a heavy series.
And that's not just because Dustin Byfuglien and Clayton Stoner are playing in it. No, the Jets and Ducks sacrificed high-octane hockey for hard-hitting physicality on Saturday. Over 50 hits were recorded, and who knows how many were overlooked by the scorekeeper. Size matters in this series, and whoever gets worn down first could be eliminated.
2. Ondrej Pavelec is having himself a series.
The Jets netminder was probably the last guy many people expected to have a great playoff series after years of inconsistency in Winnipeg. But in two games in Anaheim, Pavelec was more than up to the challenge. His performance on Saturday was excellent, turning away shot after shot while keeping the Jets alive. At least until...
3. The Ducks are still the comeback kings.
They’ve made a name for themselves in this department all season long, so there was no reason to doubt they’d do it again on Sunday. Pavelec may have had a fantastic game, but there’s a reason why the Ducks finished with one of the best records in the Western Conference. They find ways to finish games.
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