Pronger, Carlyle on the new-look defense.
Carlyle stuck with the same brand-new defensive pairings that allowed 37 shots in Saturday's 4-3 squeaker of a win in Denver. An unpredictable, if not unorthodox, move on paper.
As always, there's a reason. The coach pointed to the final 18 minutes of Saturday's game as the type of defense he was counting on from a heretofore underachieving unit. The Ducks allowed just 8 shots on goal the entire third period in the win over the Avalanche, after allowing 17 and 12 in the first two periods, respectively.
The downward trend continued Monday: 10 shots on goal allowed in the first period, 6 in the second, 7 in the third. More significantly they allowed just two goals in front of Jonas Hiller, matching the fewest goals allowed since Hiller shut out Minnesota on Jan. 17.
Said Carlyle: "If we can give up two or less in every game down the stretch, we'll be happy with our defense. It takes more than that. It's just a different approach. I saw some things I didn't like happening with the other (defensive pairings), so we decided to go in this direction. It's a coach's prerogative to make changes when he's not getting what he needs. Sometimes change is enlightening for players and gives them a little bit of a spark. Hopefully the change has invigorated some people, and given some people another different look in what we're trying to do."
The new pairings, in case you missed it: Niedermayer-Hedican; Pronger-Festerling; Montador-Mikkelson. Pronger said he noticed a positive difference Monday, having had a game and a practice in between to adjust to his new partner.
Said Pronger: "Yeah, you know, it takes time. You've got to learn each other's tendencies. All those little things allow you to have chemistry with your partner. Festerling's played very well since being called up from Iowa, as has Phil Mickelson. It's one of those things, that those guys have taken advantage of the opportunities they've been given with the injuries we've had, stepped up and played very well."
(Clarifying his familiarity with Brendan Mikkelson, Pronger added, "That's his nickname. We call him Phil.")
About J.P.
J.P. Hoornstra has been covering the Anaheim Ducks since 2007. Eight months after the University of Wisconsin won its third NCAA hockey championship, he was born in a frigid Madison winter. He betrayed his blue-blooded beginnings by graduating from UCLA in 2003, and welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
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