The Blackhawks have won these games before; the Ducks haven't.
In each of the last two years, Anaheim has been eliminated from the playoffs after failing to win a Game 6 in the Western Conference finals. Last year, they watched as the Kings claim games 6 and 7 after the Ducks held a 3-2 series lead. The year before that, the same thing happened against the Red Wings.
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Because of it, stars Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have developed something of a "choker" stigma after lackluster performances on each occasion. Getzlaf had one assist and was a minus-3 in games 6 and 7 against the Kings last year and was a minus-1 with only one assist in the two games against the Red Wings. Perry had just two points and was a combined minus-4 in those same four games.
With that in mind, it's almost eerie to look at their numbers in the Game 6 loss to the Blackhawks on Wednesday. Getzlaf, Perry and Patrick Maroon — Anaheim's most productive line that had scored 35 points in nine games coming into the series — were a combined minus-9 with a goal (Maroon, on the power play). Perry had just one shot on goal. Getzlaf had three shots, but won only four of the 17 faceoffs he took.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, have been led by their trio of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. Those three combined for five points in Game 6. Toews and Kane both have scored critical goals in the series, as they're prone to do.
They will face off on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.
Key players:
Duncan Keith, D, Blackhawks: Keith played 28:35 in Game 6 — 85 seconds shy of exactly half the game. He's carrying the downtrodden Blackhawks defense corps right now, which has been bruised and battered by the physical Ducks forward through the series. But Keith is unfazed.
Frederik Anderson, G, Ducks: Anderson has allowed 13 goals in the last three games and has an .818 save percentage in the series. The ugly game-tying Toews goal he allowed in Game 5 still stands out as an example that he hasn't been on his game. In Game 6, he stopped just 18 of 22 shots. Plainly said, the Ducks need him to be better if they want to advance.
They said it:
“I think last year’s Game 7, we were just a bunch of Nervous Nellies,’’ Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Hopefully, that happened in Game 6 and won’t carry over to Game 7.’’
"Every hit that we've had, it's all for this game," Ryan Kesler said, the Ducks having outhit the Blackhawks, 304-209, in the series. "That's why we invested physically. And it's all going to add up for Game 7."
How they got here:
Game 1: Ducks 4, Blackhawks 1
Game 2: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2 (3OT)
Game 3: Ducks 2, Blackhawks 1
Game 4: Blackhawks 5, Ducks 4 (2OT)
Game 5: Ducks 5, Blackhawks 4 (OT)
Game 6: Blackhawks 5, Ducks 2