Dietz: Toews-Kesler rivalry as intense as they come
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ryan Kesler was answering a question Saturday about the rivalry that exists between himself and Jonathan Toews when he stopped for a second.
Kesler had just called Toews "a good player" and admitted the three straight years he faced the Hawks' captain in the playoffs while with Vancouver had created quite a rivalry.
Then there was a pause. A deep breath. And then this:
"We won't hug each other after the draw," Kesler said. "Let's just say that."
No, there's no love lost between two veterans who saw each other 19 times between 2009-11 with the Hawks coming out on top the first two times and Vancouver advancing in seven games in 2011. Those games were extremely physical and featured after-the-whistle confrontations, 10-minute misconduct penalties and a ton of power-play chances for both teams.
"He's one of those guys I think added to the Vancouver Canucks' reputation that we didn't like them too much and they didn't like us," Toews said last week. "I'm sure he's bringing a little bit of that edge to Anaheim.
"He's been a good player for them. Offensively, he's someone we have to look out for. He'll be the type of guy that will be playing physical and trying to take some of our top players off their game as well."
Kesler spent his first 10 seasons with the Canucks before waiving his no-trade clause last off-season, saying he was willing to go to the Ducks or the Hawks. Anaheim won out and Kesler scored 20 goals with 27 assists while centering the team's second line.
"Any coach would want Ryan on his team rather than against him," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "You can see what (past Vancouver teams) won the Presidents Trophy, why they got to the Stanley Cup Finals (in 2011).
"As a second-line center he's as good as there is and he elevates his game in the playoffs. He's a money player."
In the end, Kesler wouldn't go as far as to say he hates the Blackhawks and the 30-year-old even spoke of Anaheim's more mature, even-tempered play as a big reason the team has reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2007.
"We're here for one reason - to win," Kesler said. "I think we've done a good job of keeping our emotions in check and not letting that so-called hatred come into our game."
Chess match:
Bruce Boudreau and Joel Quenneville were teammates during the 1978-79 season with the New Brunswick Hawks (AHL) and the Toronto Maple Leafs. After practice Saturday, Boudreau called Quenneville a "really good guy" and also knows he has his hands full in trying to out-coach someone who he believes will be in the Hall of Fame one day.
"He's handled it (coaching) the same way he handled stuff as a player," Boudreau said. "He thinks things out, he's calm, he's a great communicator. He's a great coach.
"He's going to be tough to try and outwit. I don't know if I can do it, but we'll try."
Injury update:
Corey Perry, who suffered a scary knee injury during the Ducks' Game 5 victory over Calgary last week, practiced Saturday and pronounced himself good to go for Sunday's game against the Hawks.
"I feel great," said Perry, who scored the game-winning goal in that series-clinching victory over the Flames. "I feel fine on the ice. Everything went well the last couple days, so I have no issues."
Rickard Rakell, Anaheim's third-line center, was sent home by coach Bruce Boudreau because he wasn't feeling well. Boudreau hopes Rakell will be OK for Game 1.
All of the Blackhawks were present for Saturday's practice.
He said it:
"We have no secret weapon, we have no secret formula. They've had the opportunity to come back and they've come back."
- Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau on his team's ability to win when trailing after two periods.
He said it II:
"I always find I get nervous for the first regular-season game and the first playoff game. As you get going and you get deeper (in the playoffs) it's not nervous, I think you're more excited."
- Coach Joel Quenneville