The Anaheim Ducks still have the worst offense in the NHL. In 47 games, they’ve scored just 2.11 goals per game.
But they’ve been pretty darn productive in January.
In fact, only four teams -- Washington, San Jose, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay -- have scored at a higher rate this month than Anaheim has.
Last night in Boston, the Ducks smoked the Bruins, 6-2. It was the first time this season they’d hit the six-goal mark. Before that, their high was five, and they’d only done that once.
“I think we kept saying that if we play the right way, eventually offense is going to come,” defenseman Kevin Bieksa told the O.C. Register. “Maybe it took a little bit longer than we thought.”
The Ducks are also close to climbing into a playoff spot. Heading into the All-Star break, they’re just two points back of Arizona for third in the Pacific (with two games in hand on the Coyotes, who’ve won just twice in their last seven.)
Below, them perhaps Vancouver could still pose a challenge, but the more likely scenario is that the Canucks fall off and become sellers at the trade deadline. Calgary and Edmonton don’t currently pose much of a threat.
The Ducks have actually been playing winning hockey for a couple of months now. The difference is that December’s success was based largely on defense. That month alone, they won three games by a score of 1-0.
“We have been pushing for a while,” forward Corey Perry told reporters last night after tallying his 20th goal of 2015-16.
“You know, good things are starting to happen now.”