ANAHEIM — In the final analysis, there was a good deal more that went into the Ducks’ season-high 38 shots on goal Friday in an overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Coach Dallas Eakins made that distinction clear going into Sunday’s rematch at Honda Center.
It wasn’t merely the high total of shots that encouraged him, but how and where they were launched from that pleased him. There was a degree of quality to their quantity of shots and that didn’t happen by accident. It was something that Eakins had preached daily.
“The biggest problem early (in the season) was our unwillingness to either move our feet or not be sharp enough to execute,” he said. “It’s not just as simple as ‘shoot the puck,’ but doing the work, and it is hard work to get into a position to actually shoot it and score.
“We could come here all night and come up to the red line or outside the blue line and, hey, keep putting stuff on the net and the shot clock looks great, right? It’s like, ‘Oh man, they’re outshooting the other team 20-10.’ Except 15 of the shots came outside the blue line.
“Those shots mean nothing. It’s those shots in that area inside the slot, inside the two dots, basically inside the two faceoff dots. We call that area the fairway. You want to take all your shots from the fairway, man. I think that’s what you saw (Friday).”
The Ducks’ previous high was 27 shots in a 1-0 victory Jan. 18 over the Minnesota Wild. They fired 18, a season high, in the first period of their 3-2 overtime loss Friday to the Avalanche, many from the sort of dangerous spots on the ice that Eakins wanted.
Several of the Ducks’ top offensive threats led the charge after a couple of lackluster games. Their second line of Danton Heinen, who had two shots, Adam Henrique (five) and Jakob Silfverberg (five) combined for 12 of their 38 shots and produced the tying goal in the third period.
“(Henrique) had five shots, but his shots weren’t just the effect of him snapping his wrists,” Eakins said. “They were the effect of him moving his feet. He was moving his feet. (Silfverberg) was the same. There is a little bit more that goes into it, and boy do I wish it was as simple as ‘shoot the puck.’ That would be a real easy thing to coach.”
MENTAL GAMES
Going into Sunday’s games around the NHL, the Ducks had scored only eight times in five games, the fewest of any team aside from the Dallas Stars, who had seven in their coronavirus-delayed season-opening game Friday against the Nashville Predators.
Part of the Ducks’ struggles have been physical, but some might be mental, too.
“You do your best to put them in spots of success,” Eakins said. “You do your best to encourage them and to be positive, and every once in a while do they need a kick in the pants? Absolutely. We all do. You’ve got to remember these guys are talking to themselves in their heads.
“That’s the place where you don’t want any negativity going on, but the reality is, and this is across the league and not just our players, but doubts start to come in. Like, crazy thoughts. Guys who are regular goal scorers start thinking, ‘Man, am I ever going to score again?’”
The Link LonkJanuary 25, 2021 at 07:45AM
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/01/24/ducks-shot-selection-improves-after-coachs-demand-for-more-hard-work
Ducks’ shot selection improves after coach’s demand for more hard work - OCRegister
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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