Ducks coach's record in Game 7s: 1-5
ANAHEIM, Calif. - It's an ugly number - .167.
And certainly one that Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau didn't want to talk about Friday as his team prepared to play the Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals at the Honda Center.
That number is Boudreau's winning percentage (he's 1-5) in Game 7s in his eight years as an NHL coach, with all of those games coming on home ice. Included in those losses are 2 that the Ducks suffered in 2013 to the Red Wings and in 2014 to the Kings.
Asked if his record weighs on him at all, a defensive Boudreau said of Hawks coach Joel Quenneville: "(He's) lost two of his last three Game 7s, hasn't he?"
Boudreau then continued: "You're just bringing up things to talk about. I don't think about that stuff. It's a new game tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it."
The Ducks players are as well, as they look to erase the memories of last year's ugly 6-2 shellacking by the Kings at the Honda Center. L.A. was up 4-0 just 22:02 into the game.
"It's happened too often the last couple years," Corey Perry said. "But you win tomorrow night and people start talking about something different. We're not focused on the past, we're focused on tomorrow night. It's one game to go play for the Stanley Cup. It doesn't get any more exciting than that."
Ask any NHL player about his hockey dreams and No. 1 would be to win the Cup. Not that far behind would be scoring the game-deciding goal in a Game 7.
So what did Cam Fowler do in his youth to prepare for such a moment?
"I'd throw one of my buddies in net (in his basement and), I'd say, '10 seconds left - breakaway, Game 7,'" Fowler said. "And if I missed I'd do it over again until I scored."
Excited:
Two weeks ago, Joel Quenneville said he gets nervous for the first game of the regular season and the first game of the postseason. As for a Game 7?
"It's fun," Quenneville said Friday. "It's certainly an intense setting and a lot on the line, obviously.
"You prepare like it's a meaningful game, we've been in a lot of big games as we've gone along with this group. I think that helps you when you go into a game like tomorrow. Can't wait for it to start."
Been there, done that:
Brad Richards has never played in a Game 7 that his team did not win, compiling a 7-0 mark. That includes a 2-1 Rangers win last season over the Penguins in the Eastern Conference semis.
"There's no better feeling waking up that morning knowing the whole hockey world's watching you," Richards said. "You just try to relish it and go out and enjoy them because they go by quick.
"Some day you'll be sitting back reminiscing about all those great memories. (You) try to make them worthwhile."
Rundblad again:
Joel Quenneville looks like he'll go with defenseman David Rundblad for a second straight game while sitting 40-year-old Kimmo Timonen.
"He was fine in the game," Quenneville said of Wednesday's 5-2 Hawks victory. "I thought he made some simple plays. I think that's what he's got to continue to do. ... There's (also) some upside in the offensive zone."
Tip-ins:
Bruce Boudreau appears to be making one line change, moving Kyle Palmieri to the fourth line and Jiri Sekac to the third. ... The playoff leaders in assists are all in this series: Ryan Getzlaf (17), Duncan Keith (14) and Jakob Silfverberg (13). ... Getzlaf has just 2 goals in the postseason and none vs. the Hawks.
He said it:
"Usually what our team does, if you get bucked off the horse, you get back on and keep riding. That's what we're going to do." - Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau