By: Chris Nosek

No one could have been happier for a few day break heading into the playoffs than the Anaheim Ducks goaltenders. Both Ville Husso and Lukas Dostal had a rough stretch as the Ducks limped into the playoffs. Aneheim has a great mix of veterans with their youth. Radko Gudas, Chris Kreider, and John Carlson have significant playoff experience. Meanwhile, Jackson LaCombe carries his experience from the Olympics and Joel Quenneville brings three Stanley Cups of his own.

After seeing the Hurricanes go with Frederik Andersen for their first game, and the Kings go with Anton Forsberg, I wonder if there is any chance Quenneville goes with Husso to start game one. This seems ridiculous given Lukas Dostal’s ceiling. However, down the stretch, Husso was the better of the two, and he has NHL playoff experience. Over their last ten games, Husso went 5-4-1 with a .884 save percentage compared to a 3-5-2 record and a .874 save percentage for Dostal. To me, Dostal is the better choice given he’s been the clear starter all season and has had a few days to rest.

Regardless of who is in net for the Ducks, the Oilers need to find a way to score while they wait for Leon Draisaitl to return to the lineup. Since he’s been out, the point pace has dropped significantly. Over the past three seasons, no one has played more hockey than the Edmonton Oilers and that will catch up with them at some point. The Ducks have been a better team than the Oilers all season, but they don’t have someone who can take control of a game the way Connor McDavid can. I feel like the Ducks have experience defenders who can help shutdown McDavid while their offense is strong enough to beat the Oilers defense and goaltending. Quenneville should have them prepared to capitalize on early opportunities while Draisaitl is limited for them as well.

Prediction: Aneheim Ducks advance in 6 games