Ducks vs Blackhawks

For additional insight into the Anaheim Ducks during the Western Conference Final series, NHL.com has enlisted the help of Frederic Chabot to break down the action. Chabot will be checking in throughout the series.

Chabot was the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers from 2009 to 2014. He played in the NHL for five seasons, spending time with the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings.

In a three-overtime loss, it's inevitable there will be bounces that don't go your way.

The Anaheim Ducks hit a post and two crossbars during their 3-2, triple-overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, evening the best-of-7 series at 1-1.

Chicago had its bounces too; one puck bounced off the head of forward Andrew Shaw and into the net, which was ruled a goal on the ice and then disallowed after a video review. The Blackhawks eventually got their bounce in the form of Marcus Kruger's game-winning goal 16:12 into the third overtime.

Bounces tend to even out, but the Ducks played a strong game, according to Frederic Chabot, and don't need to change their plan for Game 3 at United Center on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

ANAHEIM -- Anaheim Ducks teammates Francois Beauchemin and Kyle Palmieri have different experiences when it comes to marathon games.

Beauchemin played in a quadruple-overtime game in the 2003 Calder Cup Finals.

"It's funny, they made a T-shirt about it because it was the longest game in [American Hockey League] history that we ended up losing, unfortunately," Beauchemin said.

Palmieri played a long peewee game at his home rink in New Jersey.

"It was a little different format," Palmieri said. "I think it went 4-on-4, 3-on-3, 2-on-2, 1-on-1, and I remember losing and I was out there for the 1-on-1. That was probably the longest game before this."

For additional insight on the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final, NHL.com has enlisted the help of Claude Noel to break down the action. Noel will be checking in throughout the series.

Noel was coach for the Winnipeg Jets from 2011-14 and interim coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009-10. He also coached many years in the minor leagues, including the American Hockey League. In addition, Noel, a former forward, had 138 points in 353 regular-season games in the AHL and played seven games in the NHL with Washington Capitals in 1979-80.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the special teams battle and received the secondary scoring required for success in the playoffs in a 3-2 triple-overtime victory against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final at Honda Center on Tuesday.

The victory evened the best-of-7 series 1-1. Game 3 is Thursday at United Center (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Claude Noel said he felt the Blackhawks were able to immediately dictate play in the early stages after scoring two power-play goals within the first seven minutes of the first period. Chicago finished 2-for-5 with the man advantage while Anaheim went 0-for-5 on the power play.

ANAHEIM -- Character can't be awarded. It must be earned.

The Chicago Blackhawks have earned their share of character while making five trips to the Western Conference Final and claiming the Stanley Cup twice during the past seven seasons. They put every ounce of that hard-earned character on display Tuesday, outlasting the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in triple overtime in an instant classic of a Game 2 of the Western Conference Final at Honda Center.

ANAHEIM -- It might be one of the most remarkable disallowed goals in NHL history.

Andrew Shaw of the Chicago Blackhawks looked more like a soccer player than a hockey forward early in the second overtime Tuesday when he headed the puck into the net against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of the 2015 Western Conference Final at Honda Center.

The puck popped up in the air during a goalmouth scramble, and Shaw purposely used the crown of his helmet to propel the puck past Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen for what he momentarily thought was the game-winning goal.

The play initially was ruled a goal on the ice and several Blackhawks players celebrated, but after a review it was disallowed.

ANAHEIM -- The Anaheim Ducks made a statement with their 4-1 Game 1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final, but they know it will mean little if they don't follow it up with another strong performance Tuesday.

"We're happy with the win, but we are going to have to be a lot better in Game 2 if we want to win that one," Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler said Monday.

Chicago, meanwhile, is a veteran club that has been through every conceivable situation, including being down in a series, during the current seven-season run which has seen it reach the Western Conference Final five times and win two Stanley Cups.

For the Blackhawks, one loss is no reason to panic. But they know they will have to be better in Game 2 at Honda Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). If they can steal a win Tuesday, the best-of-7 series goes to Chicago with the Blackhawks owning home-ice advantage.

"We have to have some urgency right here right now, and try to put some pressure on them in their building and go home feeling good about ourselves," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said.

ANAHEIM -- Each of the past two postseasons have ended in familiar fashion for the Anaheim Ducks, a disappointing defeat in a Game 7 at Honda Center after a successful regular season.

The 2014-15 Ducks have already progressed further than the previous two teams. One of the biggest reasons is their young, skilled defensemen.

General manager Bob Murray has overhauled the defense over the past couple of seasons, moving away from a collection of low-risk veterans to a swift skating group. For a team with such high expectations, it has taken courage to commit to fielding a lineup with four defensemen who have not reached their 24th birthday, but Anaheim has been rewarded with a late-season spike in its possession statistics and a deep run in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I think with all of the young guys, we are in a good organization that lets you develop at the pace that you can do," Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm said. "They have great guys around the organization to help as well. There’s [Scott Niedermayer], who I talk to a lot. He’s been really good for me. Being paired with Francois [Beauchemin] has been great too as a veteran guy to kind of rely on. They’ve been doing a great job of shaping us the way they want."

ANAHEIM -- The Chicago Blackhawks may make a change on their blue line for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks.

Although Chicago coach Joel Quenneville refused to confirm it Monday, multiple signs point to journeyman Kyle Cumiskey replacing David Rundblad, who had a rugged Game 1 as a replacement for injured Michal Rozsival.

Game 2 is Tuesday at Honda Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). Anaheim leads the best-of-7 series 1-0 after winning 4-1 on Sunday.

ANAHEIM -- Jiri Sekac had not played a game in over a month. Emerson Etem was benched the previous two games. Rickard Rakell was recovering from the flu.

That's not the ideal recipe for a line to get thrown into the Western Conference Final, but it worked for the Anaheim Ducks against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1.

The fourth-line trio was reunited and coach Bruce Boudreau wasn't disappointed in a 4-1 win at Honda Center. Game 2 is Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

"Well, they really gave us good energy at the proper time, before we scored our second goal," Boudreau said. "They were on the ice before Nate Thompson's line. They created the buzz in their zone. We followed that up with that shift. We ended up scoring the goal. I mean, I got to believe they'll be together at least [Tuesday]. Beyond that, I don't know what's going to happen."

For additional insight into the Anaheim Ducks during the Western Conference Final series, NHL.com has enlisted the help of Frederic Chabot to break down the action. Chabot will be checking in throughout the series.

Chabot was the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers from 2009 to 2014. He played in the NHL for five seasons, spending time with the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings.

The Anaheim Ducks are in the Western Conference Final for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007. Save for forwards Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, and defenseman Francois Beauchemin, no other current Ducks players were on that 2007 roster.

That may have been why the Ducks got off to a slow start in Game 1 on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks, but goalie Frederik Andersen made several key saves to lead the Ducks through the rough patch and instill confidence in his teammates, according to Frederic Chabot.