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Ducks closing in on NHL grand finale
United States, May 12: The NHL is not exactly teaming with British players. But Steve Thomas - a Stockport-born Manchester City fan - has been quietly and effectively plying his trade in ice hockey`s top league for 19 years.
United States, May 12: The NHL is not exactly teaming with British players. But Steve Thomas - a Stockport-born Manchester City fan - has been quietly and effectively plying his trade in ice hockey's top league for 19 years.
This term he has found himself on an unexpected play-off run, having been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on 11 March. Though the Ducks started the season in play-off contention, they had not done much after that to warrant serious Stanley Cup consideration. And yet, after an encouraging start against Minnesota in the Western Conference finals, they are closing in on NHL's grand finale. "I thought they were just like any other play-off-bound team that probably was only going to last a round and then be out," Thomas, 39, told reporters. Thomas only had a handful of games to play with his new team before the post-season, but that was all it took for the veteran to change his mind about Anaheim. "The last 10 games really opened my eyes to the amount of character this team has."
"We don't go away. We're just not a team that's going to roll over and give up. We're a team that's going to go right to the end."
Most observers thought that end would come quickly for the Ducks, who drew the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the post-season. Instead, the Ducks turned the NHL on its ear with one of the biggest upsets in league history, sweeping the Wings in four straight games.
Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguere took centre stage with a performance for the ages in that series.
"Jiggy was an unbelievable deciding factor," Thomas said, invoking Giguere's now-famous nickname. "He's been the wall of our team. He's been our MVP thus far. He's just given us, as a team, the opportunity to win."
Anaheim kept the dream alive in round two with a 4-2 series defeat of Dallas, the Western Conference's top seed, again winning in dramatic fashion - all eight of the Ducks' post-season victories have been by a single goal.
"I've got to pinch myself every now and then. Things are just going great for us," said Thomas. Thomas's trip to the conference finals is his fifth. But the veteran wing, who is still looking for a first Stanley Cup, feels this year is special.
"I haven't had that same feeling that I have right now about our hockey club. We've won two series against possibly two of the best teams in the last 10 to 15 years that have played in the league.
"That in itself has given us a ton of confidence," Thomas said. "You don't get many opportunities to do what we're doing right now and if this is my last kick at the can, I'm going to be going down swinging."
Bureau Report
This term he has found himself on an unexpected play-off run, having been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on 11 March. Though the Ducks started the season in play-off contention, they had not done much after that to warrant serious Stanley Cup consideration. And yet, after an encouraging start against Minnesota in the Western Conference finals, they are closing in on NHL's grand finale. "I thought they were just like any other play-off-bound team that probably was only going to last a round and then be out," Thomas, 39, told reporters. Thomas only had a handful of games to play with his new team before the post-season, but that was all it took for the veteran to change his mind about Anaheim. "The last 10 games really opened my eyes to the amount of character this team has."
"We don't go away. We're just not a team that's going to roll over and give up. We're a team that's going to go right to the end."
Most observers thought that end would come quickly for the Ducks, who drew the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the post-season. Instead, the Ducks turned the NHL on its ear with one of the biggest upsets in league history, sweeping the Wings in four straight games.
Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguere took centre stage with a performance for the ages in that series.
"Jiggy was an unbelievable deciding factor," Thomas said, invoking Giguere's now-famous nickname. "He's been the wall of our team. He's been our MVP thus far. He's just given us, as a team, the opportunity to win."
Anaheim kept the dream alive in round two with a 4-2 series defeat of Dallas, the Western Conference's top seed, again winning in dramatic fashion - all eight of the Ducks' post-season victories have been by a single goal.
"I've got to pinch myself every now and then. Things are just going great for us," said Thomas. Thomas's trip to the conference finals is his fifth. But the veteran wing, who is still looking for a first Stanley Cup, feels this year is special.
"I haven't had that same feeling that I have right now about our hockey club. We've won two series against possibly two of the best teams in the last 10 to 15 years that have played in the league.
"That in itself has given us a ton of confidence," Thomas said. "You don't get many opportunities to do what we're doing right now and if this is my last kick at the can, I'm going to be going down swinging."
Bureau Report