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The Anaheim Ducks have started off the season quite well, picking up two wins in their first three games.
That said, goaltending has been a major factor in their early success, considering the Ducks have been outshot by a margin of at least 12 shots in each of their three games so far.
Despite being outshot 34-22 against the Winnipeg Jets, the Ducks actually did have more high danger scoring chances. That said, Gibson certainly kept Anaheim in the game early on, helping to kill off multiple penalties in the first half of the game.
Then Anthony Stolarz was great against the Minnesota Wild, stopping 41 of 43 shots and was hugely important in nearly getting the game to overtime. The Ducks had a brutal expected goals for percentage in loss, at just 38 per cent.
Then last night, John Gibson was key for the Ducks once again, also stopping 41 of 43 shots in an overtime win.
At this point, the Ducks have been outshot by a margin of 120-78 over their three games, with the high danger chances sitting at 31-24 in favour of their opponents. Despite this, the Ducks have allowed just five goals this season.
I will say, the team’s defense has been nowhere near as bad as it was at points last season. That said, the Ducks have still had issues getting trapped in their own end and the team’s goaltending has been absolutely key in the team picking up four of a possible six points so far.
The question is whether this is sustainable. Last season, Gibson got off to an excellent start, but couldn't realistically keep up that pace and once he started to stumble, things went south. The key will be the Ducks trying to limit shots and chances going forward. Given that they're a young team, we could certainly see improvement throughout the season but once again, if the Ducks want to have any shot at the postseason, it’s likely going to come down to relying heavily on their goaltending.
*All advanced stats from NaturalStatTrick.com
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