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WATCH: Ducks' Radko Gudas delivers massive hit, sends Brandon Tanev flying
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is a veteran NHL player who has deployed the hip check as part of his physical arsenal of weapons throughout his NHL career. Not only does Gudas like to deliver the hip check from time to time, but quite frankly, he does so in an expert fashion.
On Friday night, Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev became the latest victim of a Radko Gudas hip check, with the Anaheim Duck delivering another textbook example of the move. Gudas caught Tanev cutting through the neutral zone and punished him with the unorthodox move, sending him sailing through the air.
In the replay, it even looks as if Tanev is expecting a normal body check and braces for one, only to be fooled by Radko Gudas going low with the hip check.
The move is a rare sight in today's NHL. It requires impeccable timing, precision and awareness, qualities that Gudas carry. The hip check, when executed correctly, looks clean and leaves no room for questioning.
Kraken ultimately defeated the Ducks, but no one can deny that Radko Gudas's hip-check stole the spotlight.
Radko Gudas and Ducks suffer a 3-1 defeat
Seattle Kraken defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Friday. Shane Wright scored his first two NHL goals to help his team secure the win.
It marked their fourth victory in the past six games. Wright, the fourth overall pick in 2022, also had an assist, showcasing his offensive skills since being recalled from the AHL. Coach Dave Hakstol praised Wright's confidence and said:
“He was a confident player tonight. I thought he was a confident player with the puck, and he definitely did a good job on the defensive side as well.”
Matty Beniers added another goal for the Kraken, reaching his 100th career point. Philipp Grubauer made 16 saves for the Kraken as the Ducks did not put up much fight offensively. Also, Oliver Bjorkstrand contributed two assists.
Anaheim's Leo Carlsson scored a highlight-reel goal, which will go down as a memory for the rookie. However, the Ducks struggled to generate offense overall.
Ducks coach Greg Cronin highlighted Carlsson's efforts amid a lackluster team performance:
“From where I stood on the bench, it was Leo Carlsson and then a huge gap to the rest of the Anaheim Ducks tonight. We didn’t do much. We didn’t generate much. He was one guy that I felt that tried to make something happen every play.”
Wright's redirection and snapshot, along with Beniers' power-play goal, gave the Kraken a comfortable lead. Carlsson's goal for the Ducks narrowed the gap, but it wasn't enough to overcome Seattle's strong play.
The Ducks will look to bounce back when they host the St. Louis Blues next.
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