ANAHEIM – Balance has the edge on dominance when it comes to the Ducks and Chicago and the offensive production each team is getting from its defenders.

The Ducks continue to see their defensemen make an impact on the scoreboard, as they’re getting offensive contributions from everyone except defensive-minded Clayton Stoner.

Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen both scored first-period goals for the Ducks in their 5-4 overtime Game 5 win Monday. The Ducks have eight goals from their blue-liners and 42 points, which is tops among all teams in this postseason.

“It’s been really essential,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said Tuesday. “But it’s happened all year. No one knew about it all year because nobody knew who Sami Vatanen or Hampus Lindholm were. They had an inkling of who Cam Fowler was. None of these guys were really on the radar as far as offensive defensemen.

“But they’re good puck-moving guys and they create offense. If you look at their numbers, they’re all up there. Five out of the six, anyway, are always up there in the scoring for defensemen.”

The Ducks’ six rearguards also have a combined plus-34 rating on their shifts at even strength. The most productive have been their young defensemen. Vatanen has three goals and seven assists, Lindholm has two goals and seven assists and Fowler has two goals and six helpers.

Chicago’s Duncan Keith leads all defensemen in scoring with 13 points, while Brent Seabrook tops the blue-liners with five goals. But in a reflection of the teams’ respective defense corps, the Ducks are much more balanced while the Blackhawks suffer a substantial drop-off.

For instance, Francois Beauchemin has eight assists to lead the Ducks’ corps. Simon Despres has seven points, and his first career playoff goal proved decisive in a 2-1 Game 3 win. Chicago, which is relying heavily on four defenders, has only a goal and nine points outside of Keith and Seabrook.

Fowler said that their contributions only add to the Ducks’ scoring depth and make them more dangerous.

“I think it puts more pressure on other teams defensively when they know there’s not just going to be three forwards they have to worry about,” Fowler said. “They have to worry about the second wave coming in, which might be a fourth defenseman. That changes things a little bit.

“We definitely have guys back there who like to join the rush, have been doing a great job of putting pucks on net, creating rebounds in front.”

THE NEW ORR

The image was captured by photographers on the scene at Honda Center and also went viral. Matt Beleskey sailed through the air over Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford after he scored his Game 5 overtime goal.

It drew immediate comparisons with the famous shot of Bobby Orr diving through the air after his goal to win the 1970 Stanley Cup for Boston over St. Louis, even though Beleskey’s launch was done in a more twisted, slightly awkward manner.

“I think we’ve all seen that picture,” Ducks winger Corey Perry said Tuesday. “Talking to ’Skey this morning, I think he said Bobby Orr had a little more grace to him than he did last night.”

GETTING CLOSE

The Blackhawks seem to be considering the idea of putting 23-year-old defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk in the lineup. The rookie, who had wrist surgery early last month, has been practicing and will participate in Wednesday’s morning skate, Coach Joel Quenneville said.

It’s unknown whether van Riemsdyk will play. He played 18 regular-season games with the Blackhawks this season, with one assist and a plus-2 rating. A year ago, he was finishing a three-year career at the University of New Hampshire.

Contact the writer: estephens@ocregister.com