Blackhawks' Experience, Knack for Late Heroics Makes Game 5 a Must-Win for Ducks

Sure, they could do it. The Anaheim Ducks could drop Game 5 at home to the Chicago Blackhawks, go into the United Center, steal Game 6 and come back home to win and go to the Stanley Cup Final. 

Yeah, it could happen. But, well, good luck with that. The Ducks absolutely must win Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at Honda Center Monday night. 

This will be Anaheim's Game 7.

Let's give full value to the Ducks for their valiance in Game 4, when they turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead with three goals in 37 seconds—the second-fastest three-goal output in NHL playoff history. Despite coming out of that game with a loss, with their Game 3 win, the Ducks did what they needed to do, which was go into Chicago and wrest home-ice advantage back after that tough Game 2 triple-overtime loss.

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But make no mistake: The Ducks blew a chance to put this series away Saturday night. They had a lead with under 10 minutes to go in the third period, but they let it slip with Patrick Kane's ninth goal of the playoffs.

The Ducks came out in overtime and put the first 10 shots of the session on shaky-looking Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, but they couldn't convert. They also had the apparent advantage of rolling six defensemen against mostly just four, as Chicago coach Joel Quenneville played his bottom two D-men, Kimmo Timonen and Kyle Cumiskey, only sparingly.

The Blackhawks looked primed to be put away, a team that might be running on fumes, a team without the depth to match their opponent. But the Ducks couldn't do it. Now, it's a best-of-three series, with two of them slated for Orange County ice. It's still a good situation for coach Bruce Boudreau.

But the Ducks might as well start polishing up their 9-irons if they don't win Game 5. This Blackhawks team, with its experience and knack for pulling out games and series in all forms of drama, wouldn't blow the series if up 3-2. They know how to close out an opponent; the Ducks haven't yet proved they can do that in the clutch.

The Blackhawks, conversely, are all about clutch. After Antoine Vermette's double-OT marker won Game 4, it upped the tally to 19 overtime playoff goals from players on Chicago's current roster. The count for those on Anaheim? Three.

"

Joel Quenneville "It was one of those stretches where our guys find ways instead of looking for the out. It's an amazing group." #ANAvsCHI

— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) May 24, 2015"

Back at home and with the last change, look for Boudreau to employ Ryan Kesler to better use on Jonathan Toews. Kesler was on the ice plenty against Toews during the games in Chicago, but it's always to the home coach's advantage when he can put his guys on the ice first as opposed to always having to counter the other guy's move.

Plus, the Ducks like the fact that they have been the more physical team so far, as these words from Corey Perry indicate, via the Twitter feed of ESPN.com's Craig Custance:

Anaheim had better come out strong, get a lead and put Chicago away at a reasonable time in Game 5. The Blackhawks look much more comfortable when the games get late and are tied—or go into OT. I mean, a 19-3 difference in playoff OT goals is a pretty extreme one.

Then there's this stat, courtesy of Elias Sports (via NHL PR):

The Ducks will need captain Ryan Getzlaf to be great in Game 5. He is the guy who has to elevate his game a little, as good as it's been so far in the series. Getzlaf has at least one point in every game so far, but they've all been assists. Time for him to score a big early goal and set more of a template for his teammates to follow.

Captains need to score goals in the big games. Jonathan Toews certainly has done that many times before. It's Getzlaf's time to do it now.

The Ducks are still where they want to be: at home, with a chance to get closer to the Cup Final. But now the pressure is really on. Chicago has continually proved it can win under pressure.

Can the Ducks prove it now too? Monday night will provide a big clue.

Adrian Dater has covered the NHL since 1995. Follow him @Adater