Anaheim Ducks: What They Did Wrong vs. Vancouver and How To Fix It Tonight

Monday's game against the Vancouver Canucks was pretty heartbreaking from Anaheim's perspective.

Anaheim tried to lob anything possible on the Canucks backup goaltender Cory Schneider, but nothing broke through, making Anaheim the victim to Schneider's first career NHL shutout.

Usually, when you hold your opponents to just 16 shots all game, you walk away with at least one, if not two, points.

Anaheim closed the night empty handed, so what went wrong?

Looking forward to tonight's contest against the NY Rangers, how does Anaheim right all these wrongs?

Lack of Discipline

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Bobby Ryan #9 of the Anaheim Ducks and Sami Salo #6 of the Vancouver Canucks head to the corner for the puck at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

On three different instances, the Ducks took unnecessary penalties.

This included one occasion when taking the two minutes made it a four-on-four situation, forfeiting Anaheim's one man advantage.

Yes, some of the calls could be argued, but the refs showed early on that they weren't giving any slack.

Anaheim should have played more conservatively.

Powerplay Failures

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Cory Schneider #35 of the Vancouver Canucks watches Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks as he skates from behind the net at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Even though Anaheim had four opportunities with the extra man, they still came up empty on power plays.  

Against a team like Vancouver, you need to find a way to break through and set up a power play that has a chance to score.

 If you can't score when you outnumber them, you can't expect much better during the even strength playtime.

Early Turnovers

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks chases after Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Vancouver Canucks at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

In both the first and second period, the Ducks fumbled passes early after the puck drop, each time ending in goals against.

Against a team like the Canucks, you have to be sharp right out of the gate. Any flub ups against a team like the 'Nucks will result in unfavorable outcomes, both short and long-term.

Anaheim needs to find that cohesion we all have come to expect from the first puck drop, otherwise it'll all be down hill from here.

Lack of Traffic in Front of Opposing Goalie

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Cory Schneider #35 of the Vancouver Canucks takes a break against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

For some reason, the Ducks looked like they had half the number of players the Canucks had.

There was very little traffic in front of the goalie, and rarely any players were set in front to screen Schneider.

Even when Vancouver had a player in the penalty box, Anaheim couldn't find a way to screen the goalie, and because of all this, Schneider saw everything Anaheim threw at him all night.

Unlucky Bounces

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 06: Dan Ellis #38 of the Anaheim Ducks in goal against the Vancouver Canucks at the Honda Center on March 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Plumbing was anything but friendly to Anaheim who hit both posts and the crossbar.

The So-Cal boys just couldn't get a bounce in their favor.

You expect that when your opponent has just 16 shots, you hope a win is probable, but not for the Ducks.

Let's not blame the loss on the alignment of planets or anything outrageous but it just wasn't in the cards for Anaheim.