So who didn't get involved for the Ducks?
That's a good question. And a short list.
Erik Christensen saw his minutes reduced in Game 6 (to 6:22, second-lowest on the team) but still contributed to an important play, starting a 2-on-2 charge with Andrew Ebbett that resulted in a Sharks penalty in the second period. On the ensuing power play, Teemu Selanne scored the eventual game-winning goal.
So if you want to say everyone got involved in this one, go right ahead. Aside from all the usual suspects -- Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Niedermayer, Pronger, et.al. -- here's a few unusual suspects who endeared themselves to some more ice time in Detroit.
• Ryan Carter. A healthy scratch through the first three games of the series (not to mention most of March), Carter provided a dose of speed that helped neutralize the Sharks' Torrey Mitchell, who returned from a season-long injury midway through the series. Carter finished the series with a goal and an assist in three games, which is as much as Teemu Selanne contributed playing all six.
• George Parros. Never mind his powerful fists -- Parros only drew one fighting major in the series -- the Mustachioed Man was a veritable offensive threat on Tuesday. In just eight shifts he was at the center of three legitimate scoring chances and helped make Marcel Goc, Travis Moen and Mike Grier look incredibly weak defending himself, Mike Brown and Carter.
• Francois Beauchemin. No one quite knew what to expect from the defenseman after he missed 62 games in the regular season because of a torn ACL. On Monday, Beauch got some help from the stick of Dan Boyle on his second-period goal, the only shot he took. But he also delivered a team-high four hits, blocked a team-high two shots and finished with 13 in the six-game series. Only six players around the rest of the league (including Chris Pronger, with 14) had more in the first round of the playoffs.
• Ryan Whitney. He too was beset by a serious injury, missing 24 games to start the season following foot surgery. His poor play helped punch his ticket out of Pittsburgh in the Chris Kunitz trade, and Whitney was somewhat slow to come around with Anaheim. In the playoffs, however, he's thrived alongside Chris Pronger (he didn't look half-bad next to James Wisniewski on Monday, either) and his four assists ranked second on the team.
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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