Ducks asking more of speedy winger Sonny Milano this season

ANAHEIM — Coach Dallas Eakins had a speech with close helping Sonny Milano not agelong agone astir playing a benignant the Ducks request from him alternatively than 1 that mightiness suit him best. Eakins’ connection was simple: Go to the net, get wrong the opposing defenders and instrumentality your champion shots from adjacent range.

“You’re either going to play wrong present oregon you’re going to play extracurricular determination else,” Eakins said. “The kid took it to heart. He’s done an fantabulous job. It’s benignant of similar erstwhile you spell connected a diet. You’ve got to beryllium all-in for 30 days. So, present we’ve got to get him to 30 games of continuing to play inside.”

Milano’s velocity made him a menace connected the perimeter, connected the rush, arsenic helium roseate done the ranks of hockey. Listed arsenic lasting 6-feet and weighing 194 pounds, Milano wasn’t idiosyncratic who willingly crashed the nett successful hunt of rebounds. He wasn’t the subordinate progressive successful scrums astir the net.

It didn’t mean helium couldn’t find seams successful the antiaircraft alignment successful bid to exploit it, however. That’s what Eakins asked him to bash this season, to spell to the unprotected areas of the crystal and spot what benignant of harm helium could bash from there. Long-range hockey wasn’t successful the cards.

Milano responded with 2 goals and 3 assists successful 7 games going into the Ducks’ crippled Sunday against the St. Louis Blues astatine Honda Center. His latest goal, a power-play onslaught successful Friday’s triumph implicit the Arizona Coyotes, was a cleanable illustration of Eakins’ edict.

Milano accepted a cross-crease walk from teammate Adam Henrique and slammed the puck into the backmost of the nett from beneath the near faceoff circle. No goaltender connected the satellite could person moved rapidly capable from his near to his close to thwart Milano’s close-range shot.

“He likes to get connected the extracurricular and marque plays from there, but with his velocity and his hands, he’s got to get connected the inside,” Eakins said. “When you deliberation astir a subordinate similar that, helium doesn’t person to beryllium wrong connected each shift. Let’s accidental Sonny is going to play 22 shifts a night. If helium could conscionable get wrong connected 8 much shifts, he’s going to get much production. So, that’s a marque caller wont and it’s formed and he’s not going backmost to the old. He’s done highly well.”

Milano’s velocity besides has been beneficial successful pressuring opposing teams arsenic they effort to determination the puck retired of their ain portion and down the ice. He’s been a relentless forechecker astatine times and that’s aided the Ducks arsenic they effort to disrupt their opponents and support up the pressure.

“We request speed,” Eakins said. “We’re getting better, but we’re inactive not a speedy team. To person Sonny’s speed, it’s an important element. Getting successful connected the forecheck, too. If you tin unreserved defensemen, they won’t marque cleanable plays. It doesn’t mean you person to beryllium dense connected the forecheck. For Sonny, helium conscionable needs to beryllium there.”