The Anaheim Ducks seemed poised for a second-round letdown. They had dropped their first two games at home, and were staring down two straight on hostile ice against the postseason’s hottest team in the Los Angeles Kings.
After escaping Game 3 with a victory, coach Bruce Boudreau and the Ducks made a bold move ahead of Game 4 — call up the rookie.
John Gibson, the rookie netminder who made his NHL debut in the final weeks of the regular season and he of three games’ NHL experience, made his postseason debut Saturday ahead of longtime starter Jonas Hiller.
Boudreau’s gambit played well. The standout rookie rewarded the Ducks with the shutout victory, 2-0, drawing the top-seeded Anaheim squad even with their freeway rivals ahead of a Game 5 date on friendly ice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1MUOw0JAyA
Gibson is one of the most highly-regarded prospects in the NHL, and the Ducks gave their 20-year-old prospect a taste of NHL life late in the season.
Gibson’s first career start ended in a shutout. One of his three regular season wins clinched the Pacific Division title for Anaheim. His first-ever postseason game evened the series with Los Angeles and gave the Ducks hope that they could overcome the very talented LA team.
Despite being held to just three shots in the final two periods (and none in the second, a record both the Ducks and Kings in a postseason game), Gibson kept the Ducks afloat.
Ryan Getzlaf and Devante Smith-Pelly scored for Anaheim. Following their victory, the home team has now lost all four games so far.
Gibson made 28 saves on the night, including some spectacular bids late in the third period and in a frantic second period. Playing opposite Gibson was former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick.
Down 2-0 after the first, Kings coach Brent Sutter pulled Quick in favor of Martin Jones to start the second period.
Presumably, the move was made not as punishment for Quick, but as an ultimatum to his team — play better in front of your goaltender.
If indeed that was the message, the Kings heard it loud and clear. Los Angeles outshot the Ducks 12-0 in the second period and 19-3 over the final two periods, but couldn’t find a way to put one past Gibson.
Still missing a key blue line contributor in Stephane Robidas (broken leg), the Ducks insulated Gibson well, exposing the rookie to fewer than 30 shots in his first playoff start (even if they failed to register more than a handful against fellow rookie Jones at the other end of the ice).
Gibson figures to continue backstopping the Ducks for the duration of their postseason bid.
Saturday’s win was an extension of his own postseason, which began with AHL affiliate Norfolk. With the Admirals, Gibson posted a .955 save percentage in six postseason games in a first-round victory.
The opponent? The Manchester Monarchs, the Kings’ minor league affiliate.
