Ducks Look to Carry Strong Play Into Final Back-to-Back of Season

Head coach Greg Cronin hasn’t had the luxury of much stability in the lineup because of injuries and trades but mentioned after Tuesday’s victory that the ability to ice a consistent roster has made a significant difference of late. “I don’t want to make excuses, but there’s been a lot of change in the lineup, the consistency hasn’t been there, and the last couple games we’ve had the same lineup, which was nice,” Cronin said. “You could see the chemistry that was there tonight and the last game as well, so I’m happy for them. They deserve to win more games than we’ve won this year.”

Staying Out of the Box 

Lack of discipline has been a significant problem for the Ducks all season. The team has been shorthanded a league-high 318 times, and the penalty kill ranks 31st in the league with a 72.6% success rate. Winning the special teams battle is not something the Ducks have been able to do often this season, and it has greatly impacted their overall performance.

Still, there has been some improvement in that regard. The Ducks top the NHL in penalties taken per 60 minutes (5.34), but the team has managed to keep that total down in April. The Ducks have faced three or fewer shorthanded situations in three of the last four contests.

Familiarity Should Prove Beneficial 

The Ducks defeated the Flames 5-3 in Calgary on April 2. Alex Killorn scored two goals in the match while Troy Terry compiled one marker and two assists and Olen Zellweger secured the first multi-point effort of his NHL career with three helpers. The Ducks went one-for-one on the power play in that contest, and the Flames were one-for-two on the man advantage. The Flames will be playing for the third time in four nights when they visit the Ducks, so taking advantage of a fatigued opponent with a fast start could be the key to the contest. 

The Ducks ended an eight-game losing streak against the Kings during their last outing. Ryan Strome had the secondary assist on goals by Frank Vatrano and Killorn to help the team battle back from an early 1-0 hole. The Kings won the last meeting between the two clubs at Crypto.com Arena, 3-2 in a shootout on Feb. 24. 

Offense Developing a Bit of a Groove 

Partially due to injuries, Killorn hasn’t been able to establish much of a rhythm but he has been productive down the stretch. He has generated four goals on 21 shots across his past six outings. The 34-year-old forward also has two assists and six hits over that span.  

Trevor Zegras has been rounding back into form recently after an extended absence caused by a broken ankle and is displaying the playmaking skills fans have come to expect from his game with four helpers in his last five appearances. The 23-year-old forward also has one goal on 11 shots during that stretch. 

Vatrano has notched three goals and five points in his last six games to go along with 21 shots on net. He has been the Ducks’ most consistent offensive threat and continues to add to the most productive season of his NHL career, with 56 points thus far. 

Injuries Continue to Cast a Shadow 

Mason McTavish’s season may have been prematurely ended by a lower-body injury. He hasn’t played or practiced since getting injured in the Ducks’ triumph over the Flames on April 2. The 21-year-old center may not shed the restrictive knee brace he has been seen wearing before the end of the campaign. It would be a shame if the injury prevented him from representing Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship as well. 

Goaltender John Gibson has sat out the last three games with an upper-body issue. If Gibson remains on the shelf, Lukas Dostal might play in both games of the back-to-back. Dostal has gone 3-3-2 over his past eight outings, stopping 211 of 233 shots during that period. Current backup Alex Stalock hasn’t seen any NHL action in 2023-24. 

Pavel Mintyukov has missed five-consecutive contests because of a lower-body ailment. He hasn’t been able to resume practicing with the team yet, so a timetable for his return remains unclear even though he is considered day-to-day. Zellweger has performed well during Mintyukov’s absence, but the Ducks would no doubt prefer to have both young defenders in the lineup for the final home stretch of the season. 

Finishing on a High Note 

It’s been another difficult season for the Ducks as the team will fail to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a sixth-straight campaign. Still, the players and the coaching staff have an opportunity to go into the summer feeling a bit better about their games and the state of the team if they continue to build upon their recent momentum.