After a 3 1/2-month sprint from the bottom of the NHL
Morgan BurnettJerseyto the top of the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks realize they don't get any chance to catch their breath.
A first-round matchup with the powerful Nashville Predators could undo all of that hard work in a hurry.
Two tough-nosed Western
http://www.packershopnfl.com/WOMENS_YOUTH_NATE_PALMER_JERSEY.htmlConference teams meet in the first round beginning Friday night in Anaheim. Both are hoping to punctuate their midseason surges with playoff success.
''Anaheim, they're kind of like us,'' Nashville center Mike Fisher said. ''They played really well down the stretch, the last half (of the season). A really good hockey team.''
The Ducks got home-ice advantage with their fourth straight Pacific Division title, but their rewards are 1,800-mile
http://www.packershopnfl.com/WOMENS_YOUTH_NICK_PERRY_JERSEY.htmlflights to Tennessee to face a dangerous opponent. Despite a midseason lull, Nashville stayed competitive in the brutal Central Division, finishing fourth with 96 points - 18 more than the Pacific's fourth-place team, Arizona.
Coach Bruce Boudreau sees a
Ronald PowellJerseycollision of strengths in this series, from the centers to the goalies.
''They're really strong down the middle,'' Boudreau said. ''We think with (Ryan) Getzlaf, (Ryan) Kesler and (Nate) Thompson, we feel we're very strong down the middle. It'll be a very interesting contest there.''
The Predators have been known for stingy, defense-dominated strategies over
http://www.saintsonlineofficialshop.com/WOMENS_YOUTH_SAM_MILLS_JERSEY.htmlthe years, but second-year coach Peter Laviolette has injected offensive acumen into his club.
Meanwhile, the usually high-flying Ducks unexpectedly won the Jennings Trophy this season as the NHL's stingiest defensive team, repeatedly shutting down opponents in front of its stellar goalie tandem of John Gibson and Frederik Andersen.
''We're hopefully playing a brand of hockey that we want to play going into the playoffs here,'' Getzlaf said. ''Any time you can limit scoring chances and those things, it (boosts) our chances to win.''
