Do you know the way to San Jose?

It's time for the playoffs baby!

Yikes!! I'm already nervous. For the record, I would have been nervous if the Ducks were playing Colorado in the first round...nervousness is a given from me.

Let's start at the end...

...which in reality, is just a beautiful beginning.

How classy is this Ducks team? During the final home game of the regular season, lead by Scott Niedermayer, the Ducks took a lap around the rink, sticks raised, to show respect to their fans who have stuck by this team through thick and thin.

THROUGH THICK AND THIN!

This is the team that lost brutally to the Atlanta Thrashers. This is the team that couldn't stand up to the New York Islanders, or the Tampa Bay Lightning. This is the team that lost the season series to the cross town rival Los Angeles Kings.

No. That was the OTHER team.

That was the team with no chemistry, no connection, no drive, no determination, no passion. That was the team that couldn't put together 3 straight wins. That was the team before the trade deadline.

THIS TEAM, these Ducks...they're the ones who just did what very few believed they could...THIS TEAM, just went 11-5-1 (since the trade deadline) to clinch their 4th straight playoff appearance. THIS TEAM has chemistry, a connection, drive, determination, passion. THIS TEAM has all star players, playing like all stars. THIS TEAM has low profile guys scoring goals, making big hits and sacrificing their bodies for the post season.

THIS TEAM, 6 months late...are actually just in time.

True, at the beginning of the season (well, BEFORE they went 1-4 to start the season) I expected them to be at the top. I expected they would be battling San Jose for the Pacific
Division. I expected them to be dominate all year. I have high expectations from a team 2 years removed from a cup...maybe that's just me.

I was thinking of what my blogs look like in review...and it goes something like this:

September: Did you see the pre-season? Did you see what this team can do? Did you see the way Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are tearing it up?! Bobby Ryan! Look at that kid go, he’s going to be great to watch!

October: WHERE’S THE TEAM FROM THE PRE-SEASON?! WHERE ARE THE GOALS?! WHERE IS THE DEFENSE?! WHERE IS THE GOAL TENDING?! DID THEY MISS THE PLANE?! Teeth?! What about Getzlaf's teeth? He's a hockey player...he doesn't need TEETH!

Late October/November: ahhhh, now this is more like it…just what I’d expect to see from this team! Very successful string of wins...this looks like what we’re going to be enjoying all season long! This is going to be a fun year! Sad to see Beauch get hurt, but we get the fabulous Bobby Ryan in his place...no problem!

December/January: What is with this team? Why can’t they get it together? ANOTHER 4-3 LOSS?! Why can’t we hold on to a lead? Why can’t we stop the puck? Where is the defense? WE NEED A CHANGE! But man...have you seen that Bobby Effin Ryan?! Amazing!

January/February: Up down Up down…Losses to the worst teams in the league?! CHANGE IT UP! DO SOMETHING! DO ANYTHING! SHOW US YOU WANT THE POST SEASON!

Early March: Where have the boys gone? What happened to my boys?! We lose some of the core group of the 07 cup run and this is supposed to help?! This team will NEED an October/November. This team is going to need to find a way to win game after game after game. This team better find the chemistry now………

End of March: LOOK AT THESE DUCKS NOW! LOOK AT THE CHEMISTRY, LOOK AT THE FIRE, LOOK AT THE PASSION, LOOK AT THE DETERMINATION…

April: This Ducks team may just be the HOTTEST team in the league right now. LOOK OUT PLAYOFFS HERE WE COME!!!!!

THAT team or THIS team...they're MY team. They've taken me through months of expletives and profanities. They've made me scream at the TV and shake my head in confusion. They've made me wonder if they were capable of meeting the post season and succeeding.

That's right, MY team is there. They may have lost to the Islanders, the Thrashers and the Kings. But where are those guys now? They're at home watching MY team head off to the post season.

YEA BABY!

Here is something to remember...what has happened, what this Ducks team has done, what OTHER teams in the league have done...that's all irrelevant. That means nothing to the NOW.

This is the playoffs baby...this is a whole new season. There is no time to rest or play catch up. These Ducks need to come out strong from the very beginning and never let up, never back down.

This first round match up, could prove to be the biggest upset of the playoffs. When it comes down to it, these Ducks have everything a team could need to make a very successful playoff ambush. They have the scoring hands of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Bobby Effin Ryan, Teemu Selanne, Andrew Ebbett, and Erik Christensen. The shut down powers of Todd Marchant, Mike Brown, Petteri Nokelainen and Rob Niedermayer. The defensive mastery that is Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin, Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski. The hot glove hand of Jonas Hiller and the playoff powers of JS Giguere. THESE Ducks can do so much damage on any given night...and I believe they will.

There is no point in speaking positivity if you don't believe in this team. I believe this team has the ability to go far this post season. Do you?

Since the Ducks' fate was decided on Sunday evening, I've been thinking about this first round match up. I've been analyzing and and looking back over the season, trying to come up with an outcome for the future...

What a waste!

Everything that has happened this season...it's all in the past. Those wins and losses of the regular season mean nothing now.

Thursday...that's the first meaningful game of this season.

GO DUCKS!!!