Corey Perry has pulled a disappearing act once again on the Anaheim Ducks to start a series, but the time is now to turn things around against the Edmonton Oilers
Corey Perry was not at his best to start the NHL playoffs. He ended the regular season with a goal and two points in five games in April and failed to record a point till Game 3 against the Calgary Flames in the first round. However, Perry came back to life in Game 3, scoring a goal and an assist with a plus-5 rating. He also had the game-tying and game-winning goals, as the Anaheim Ducks won in overtime, en route to a series sweep.
Perry also had an assist in Game 4 against the Flames but has not recorded a point since.
As the second round took flight last week, Perry and the Ducks lost both home games to the Edmonton Oilers and will head on the road to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. Both games were relatively close, but the Oilers continued to prove their dominance in the third period.
In Game 1, the Oilers roared back in the third period and beat the Ducks on home ice 5-3. In Game 2, the Oilers scored two early goals, and despite giving up three penalties in the second and third combined, the Oilers held the lead to take a 2-0 series lead.
After sweeping the Flames, the Ducks now need to find a way to win on the road to avoid elimination against the Oilers.
What’s Going Wrong with Perry and the Ducks?
The Ducks had 40 shots on net, and 19 in the third period. Despite firing on all cylinders, the Ducks could not find a way to score the tying goal. Perry is relied on to score the big goals, but his 5.9 shooting percentage on 17 shots in the playoffs is not what the Ducks were hoping for. For them to win in Game 3, the bulk of the load has to fall on Perry and the rest of the Ducks’ goal scorers.
As it stands, Perry is playing a bottom-six role alongside Antoine Vermette and Logan Shaw. Andrew Cogliano and Patrick Eaves were moved to the top two units, while Rickard Rakell and Nick Ritchie are the youngsters trying to find their way. Jakob Silfverberg has been the Ducks best goal scorer alongside Ryan Getzlaf, recording four goals in six games.
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It will be interesting to see if Randy Carlyle shakes things up. He has the players to score goals but needs to find the right balance. The Ducks have not scored an even strength goal since the third period of Game 1, which is a major concern.
If they plan on winning either Game 3 or Game 4, something needs to change, and they are running out of time to figure it out.