Three Areas Key to the Ducks Round One Victory over the Oilers, Ducks Win Series 4-2
Unpacking the surprising upset: Discover how LaCombe's defensive dominance and offensive surge, alongside other key factors, fueled the Ducks' historic playoff triumph.
Video Transcript
You know, he's, he's obviously You know, that team has been to two Cup finals and, and, you know, I, I can't speak for all of us.
We have a lot of respect for, for him and, and, you know, a lot of those players.
So he, he really is that good and, to watch the task to have this guy and Trouba and, you know A- and I, you know, these guys were on him, you know, for most of the time.
But even I, I thought collectively, you know, we, we all had to play him and, and we're all aware of it, and I thought, you know, it started with our coaches with game planning and all that and, and I'm just, Yeah, a lot of guys I'm really proud of for, for handling that task because it's not easy.
Yeah, I think Troy said it best.
Obviously, it takes a full, you know, five-man unit on the ice to stop those guys and, you know, a full team effort, and we did just that.
So we did a great job.
Jim Chan?
Yeah, this is for either one of you.
going through a series like this, going through your first playoff series and winning it, how much growth was there with this group over the course of these six games?
I think a ton.
I think, you know, the first game, even the first period, we started out a little hesitant and we were just unsure, kind of seeing what it felt like.
And then the second period there, we kind of came out and started playing our game.
And like Troy said, that's when we started gaining confidence and, and trust in each other.
And I think each game we just got better and better.
And maybe we slipped a little bit in game five, but I think, you know, a lot of us young guys are learning a lot as we go along, and I thought we got better throughout the series and, yeah, it means a lot for us.
And what does this do then going forward to the next round now that you've been through it?
Yeah, I mean, I, I think all year we've, you know, we've been We won a bunch in a row, we've lost a bunch in a row.
We, we know that our best is, is, is we're a really good team when, when we're playing the right way and, and, you know, we proved it to ourselves that we can do that consistently through a series.
And, yeah, and our group should have a lot of confidence moving forward in, in what makes us a good team.
And, and I thought, you know, we were able to win the series while also getting a lot of lessons along the way.
And, yeah, I just think we, we grew every game like you said.
And, and I'm already excited to, you know, apply some of these lessons that myself and some of us young guys and, just everyone's kind of picked up in, in their first playoff experience.
Zach?
For Jackson, kind of the inverse of Eric's very first question.
what you see in a guy like Troy that's been here through all those years and to be part of this, to kind of get this franchise and, and him kind of over the top, what does that mean to you as a, as a guy that's come to know him?
Yeah, I think it means a lot to a lot of us young guys.
Obviously, we look up to guys like Troy, and it's meant so much to us.
Obviously, the last two years have been, you know, challenging for the older guys.
Obviously, they want to win and want to make the playoffs.
And so yeah, it just means a lot for us to be able to be a part of that for, for him and those other guys like that.
And, yeah, we just want to keep this thing going.
And then for both of you, and all this talk about playing the best player in the world and all that, but you guys never There was never a sense of fear from you guys about what you were up against and that you were deterred by the challenge ahead of you.
When you look towards the next series against two teams that you played pretty well during the regular season and beyond that, I mean, at what point does this, all this talk about kind of learning lessons and getting experience kind of morph into something of a real belief of what can be done with this group in this, in this playoff season?
Yeah, I, I think, you know, the, the little details is what we, you know, talk about with the learning experiences or whatever.
but at the end of the day, I mean, I, I don't want that to be taken as, as we don't think that we can play with anyone.
I mean, we, we When I-- I think when we're at our best, we're, we're a really good hockey team.
We're, we're explosive.
we've got these guys on the back end that, you know, you just saw can play with the two, two of the best players in the world.
So, there's a lot of belief in our room and, I just think that's why I, I keep using that word is because I'm just proud of how we played that game tonight, because that was one of the things that plagued us and, you know, if we can start You know, we've been able to come from behind all year, but if, if we can start playing with leads and playing like that and, and still pushing the game and, and, I just felt like we were a confident group the whole night tonight.
So there is definitely a lot of belief.
Go ahead.
Sorry.
Go ahead.
I was gonna say I agree, I agree with the same thing you said.
Just, just last one real quick, kind of building off of, off of that.
Chris Ouellet said that, you know, everyone sees from the outside the skill of the team, but what stood out to him was the, battle ability, that you guys were big and physical and were able to win those time.
Is that sort of the thing you're talking about with the little things of, of the, the things that build as you get through a playoff series and learn what this team can, can be?
Yeah, I think just the little things of, you know, we're up two goals and you go into a battle on the side of their net, or you go on the side of our net.
Are you getting above Connor McDavid?
Are you getting above You know, just those little details of, you know, they're a dynamic rush team and, and I thought for the most part we, we had a game plan and, and we were disciplined, we stayed above them.
just those type of things.
Like I, I thought we just skated We tried to limit their on-man rushes and, and I thought we were engaged physically for the whole series too.
One more.
Eric?
Yeah.
Troy, just, even Leo said, you know, after he, you know, scored the empty netter there, he said that he was too focused on the ice and, and he didn't really see the scene in the, in the entire arena much longer.
But it's eight years without playoffs for this fan base, nine years without a playoff win.
What, what do you think tonight does for, you know, fans that basically hung in there through the lean years?
Yeah, I mean, the, the fan base, you know, it's, it's been hard on me too.
I mean, I, I It's, it's been a long time and, you know, we've had fans that have been super loyal, have always shown up for us and they deserve this.
you know, myself, a lot of us live in, in the, in the Newport area.
Like there's all of a sudden you're seeing cars with Ducks flags on them everywhere and, you just really start to see, you know, what, what this means to Orange County.
And, you know, it's, it's been a long time, so it's, it's just nice to, you know, have a team that, you know, they seem that they're all proud of and, and they've been bringing it every game for-- with the atmosphere.
Okay.
We'll go to Keith, one more from Eric, then Keith.
game five wasn't the greatest start.
You guys kind of got your teeth kicked in the first 11 minutes.
Wasn't the greatest, greatest game for Auston, but he able to have a great game tonight and made some big saves down the stretch.
Can you just talk about his ability to have that short, short memory, be dialed in for tonight's game?
Yeah.
Obviously, he's a, you know, special goalie.
He's been huge for us all year, and I think honestly that starts on us as, as players.
I think we gotta be better obviously and, you know, we knew they were gonna have a push obviously when their, their back's against the wall.
But no, he's been great for us all year and, I think those goals aren't us.
All right.
Thank you
