{"id":308871,"date":"2026-05-10T10:48:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T10:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/308871\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T10:48:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T10:48:27","slug":"anaheim-ducks-rely-on-defensive-maturity-in-vegas-playoff-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/308871\/","title":{"rendered":"Anaheim Ducks Rely on Defensive Maturity in Vegas Playoff Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Anaheim Ducks enter Game 3 of their NHL<\/a> Western Conference second-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, May 8, 2026, at the Honda Center, transitioning from a high-scoring regular season to a disciplined defensive identity. Despite having the league’s fifth-youngest roster, the Ducks have neutralized veteran offenses to reach their first postseason since 2018.<\/p>\n

After eliminating the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, Anaheim has focused on suppressing scoring chances against a Vegas team featuring Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner. Analytics from Evolving Hockey<\/a> indicate the Ducks have allowed just 2.06 expected goals against per 60 minutes during the second round, the second-lowest mark among remaining playoff teams.<\/p>\n

Head coach Joel Quenneville noted that the team’s evolution followed a regular season characterized by inconsistent stretches, including a nine-game winless streak in December and a late-season slump. The Ducks finished the regular season with the third-best offense but the third-worst defense in the league before tightening their structure for the playoffs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Colorado<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“The maturity of our team, that’s what I’ve been most proud of,” said Troy Terry, Ducks winger.<\/p>\n

Terry, who is in his eighth season with the franchise, highlighted the team’s commitment to defensive details during the current postseason run.<\/p>\n

“It’s just how mature our team’s been in some of these games, and the things that maybe plagued us during the regular season, I think we’re really ratcheting down on a lot of this stuff and playing complete games,” said Terry.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Flyers<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The veteran winger emphasized that the young roster has collectiveley embraced a more physical, detail-oriented style of play to sustain their momentum.<\/p>\n

“We were all well aware of what it would take to be successful in the playoffs,” said Terry.<\/p>\n

He further explained that individual offensive statistics have become secondary to the team’s overall defensive positioning and grit.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Taylor<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“Guys are just really doing whatever is necessary right now, whether it’s taking a back seat offensively to make sure they’re in the right positions defensively, or hitting or blocking shots, just all of that stuff,” said Terry.<\/p>\n

According to Terry, this shift in focus has permeated the entire locker room as the team faces more structured opponents like the Golden Knights.<\/p>\n

“No one wants to be the guy not doing those little details right now, and that’s a testament to our group,” said Terry.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Vegas<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Terry observed that the team’s willingness to sacrifice personal stats for defensive reliability has become a defining characteristic of the group.<\/p>\n

“Being a young team, too, especially the way that everyone’s just bought into all of those little details, it’s infectious, and it’s been fun to be a part of,” said Terry.<\/p>\n

Coach Quenneville expressed his anticipation for this postseason performance, having watched the roster navigate significant growing pains throughout the year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Anaheim<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“This team had some growing pains that we had to go through, but all year long, we always said, \u2018I just can’t wait to get to the playoffs,\u2019” said Joel Quenneville, Ducks Head Coach.<\/p>\n

The coach remarked that he was eager to see the full potential of his young core under the pressure of Stanley Cup contention.<\/p>\n

“I want to see how good these guys can be,” said Quenneville.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Wild<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Regarding the specific adjustments made against Vegas, Quenneville pointed to improved play along the boards and better net-front presence.<\/p>\n

“The little things, plays you make along the walls, or traffic at the net, or second and third opportunities there, clearing the front of our net,” said Quenneville.<\/p>\n

Forward Alex Killorn credited the postseason environment for helping the younger players maintain focus on 60-minute defensive efforts.<\/p>\n

“Maybe it’s just the fact that in the playoffs, you have to be so present in games and you don’t look forward to what your point totals are going to be, what you’re going to have at the end of the year,” said Alex Killorn, Ducks Forward.<\/p>\n

Killorn noted that the singular focus on winning individual games has naturally led to better defensive habits.<\/p>\n

“I think you’re just really focused on that one game. Maybe that’s helped us defend a little bit better and worry about just winning one game. I’ve been really impressed with the way the guys have played throughout 60 minutes,” said Killorn.<\/p>\n

Long-time season ticket holders have embraced the unexpected run, which interrupted typical off-season plans after years of missing the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a lot easier to plan your vacations,\u201d said Kozo Shimano, Ducks Fan.<\/p>\n

Shimano\u2019s friend, Ed LeBeau, noted the contrast between this season and previous years when the team failed to qualify for the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt used to be 44 games and go play golf,\u201d said Ed LeBeau, Ducks Fan.<\/p>\n

LeBeau expressed his preference for the current extended schedule as the team continues its deep run.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it\u2019s 44 games and bonus hockey,\u201d said LeBeau.<\/p>\n

He concluded that the current excitement of playoff hockey is a welcome change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take this,\u201d said LeBeau.<\/p>\n

While fans like Irene Amador remained loyal through the drought, her husband Ross admitted he did not fully anticipate this level of success.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been a glutton for punishment. But when you love a team \u2026\u201d said Irene Amador, Ducks Fan.<\/p>\n

Irene stated her commitment to supporting the franchise regardless of their position in the standings.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy thing is supporting a team and staying with them,\u201d said Amador.<\/p>\n

Other fans, like Robert Pagan, cited the organization\u2019s culture as a reason for their continued support during the lean years since the 2007 championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever,\u201d said Robert Pagan, Ducks Fan.<\/p>\n

Pagan recalled being present for the team’s previous successes and expressed confidence in the current roster’s trajectory.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were here when they won the Stanley Cup in 2007 and in all the good years that followed,\u201d said Pagan.<\/p>\n

He noted that the team’s current resurgence reflects the quality of the organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t going anywhere. This organization is full of classy people. And now they\u2019re looking really good again,\u201d said Pagan.<\/p>\n

Linda Pagan echoed the sentiment, specifically pointing to the potential of the current young core.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re so young and so talented,\u201d said Linda Pagan, Ducks Fan.<\/p>\n

LeBeau added that the fear of missing out on significant team moments kept him engaged even during frustrating seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you really like watching hockey and you really like a game, it\u2019s hard to describe,\u201d said LeBeau.<\/p>\n

He described the feeling of wanting to witness every game to avoid missing a potential turnaround.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you didn\u2019t go anymore, you think: What am I missing? You get that FOMO,\u201d said LeBeau.<\/p>\n

Shimano, who has followed the team since its inception, remarked on how different this season felt compared to his lack of initial expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a lot of fun,\u201d said Shimano.<\/p>\n

He compared the current atmosphere to the team’s previous golden era, noting the difficulty of the recent rebuilding phase.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get used to that. Then, those bleak years, it was sad. You know they\u2019re trying and they can\u2019t win as many games as they used to,\u201d said Shimano.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the Ducks’ surprising performance has served as a reward for the fan base’s patience.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I had no expectations for this season. It\u2019s been quite a pleasant surprise,\u201d said Shimano.<\/p>\n

As an all-event suite holder, Shimano noted a specific perk of the team\u2019s success at the Honda Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I didn\u2019t get that benefit for a long time,\u201d said Shimano.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Anaheim Ducks enter Game 3 of their NHL Western Conference second-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":308872,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,824,165,164,5647,1719,9900,4862,8614],"class_list":["post-308871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-ducks","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-honda-center","tag-joel-quenneville","tag-nhl-playoffs","tag-troy-terry","tag-vegas-golden-knights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=308871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/308872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=308871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=308871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=308871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}