Before Homestand, Ducks Must Learn From Road Trip and Acclimatization – Hockey Writers –

The Anaheim Ducks closed out their first road trip of the season with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins (Oct. 31). They earned a point, but it was a disappointing end to a much-conquered game marked by the same style the Ducks have shown in the first few weeks of the campaign.

Over-relying on your goalkeeper’s efforts while struggling to finish your own grade-A scoring chances has been a theme of the last four games. If these trends hold, then the Ducks will fall behind in the Pacific Division in no time. As we look ahead to the upcoming six-game homestand, which begins tonight with the Chicago Blackhawks and includes a handful of winnable games, let’s review some of the obstacles, and strengths, of the Ducks’ play thus far.

The Inability to Limit the Offensive Pressure of the Opponents is Concerned

The Ducks picked up points in half of the games on the recent road trip. However, the moments when they got a hold of things and created a sustained offense were few and far between, forcing them to lean on their defense and aim to keep them in games. You could make an argument that their best game of the trip was their loss to the New York Rangers, because they held the Rangers’ stars and matched their shot and scoring chances equally. Every other game was a disaster. They went 34-26 against the New Jersey Devils, 41-22 against the New York Islanders, and 45-23 against the Penguins.

Related: Ducks’ Problems Show Lack of Growth

A young team, especially in defense, will be very defensive but losing almost 2:1 in consecutive games is a case of this team’s inability to maintain offense and rely on scoring to get points. work done. The Ducks were looking at a similar loss to the Devils had it not been for the herculean efforts of Lukáš Dostál’s first season.

Unexpected Miscues Prove Costs

The road trip, especially the loss to the Penguins, underscored the impact small mistakes and inactions can have on games. The Ducks had several scoring chances late in the third period including halftime chances each by Trevor Zegras and Cutter Gauthier. You couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to put a team in the breakaway position in the last minute of the game. Those are the times when you need your best talent, especially in a game where the Ducks never had the puck. Instead, the Penguins held on and sent the game into overtime.

The overtime session also didn’t go well because the Ducks made a key defensive mistake: Pavel Mintyukov and Frank Vatrano left before Gauthier secured the puck. They considered offense before their defensive responsibilities. Gauthier loses the fight, no one was watching Sidney Crosby, who was left alone and beat Dostál. That’s the game. Sure, Gauthier may not have handled the puck well, but he was flanked by Penguins defensemen on both sides and no one else was defending. In a matter of seconds, mental errors led to the end of the game and turned what could have been a great ending to a road trip into a disappointing one. The Ducks could have used an extra point.

Gauthier Closer, Ducks Need More From Killorn and Zegras

Another factor that has had an impact on this season is the non-production of certain players which is expected to be a bigger problem than last season. That list includes Alex Killorn and Zegras. They’ve only had a handful of hits against the Ducks against the Penguins but they’ve been quiet. Killorn ended up being one of the most consistent players offensively in the second half of 2023-2024 and should carry that momentum into his second year as a Duck. This has not been the case so far. Zegras also came into the season healthy and ready to come back, and he had his moments, but he was far from the nightly player we expected him to be.

The Ducks rank last in the NHL in goals scored with 22, an average of 2.2 per game. Obviously, that won’t be enough, and they’ll need production from their talented fan base if they’re going to continue to compete. This includes Gauthier, who has collected four assists so far but has yet to score. He has been around the net and looked very good but he needs to find the twine soon given the amount of opportunities he is getting with quality players in the right situations.

Dostal, Terry, and Carlsson are the stars so far

The strength of the Ducks’ season so far can be summed up in three words: Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, and Dostál. Terry and Carlsson sit first and second in scoring on the team, respectively, and have been making plays all season. They are the only two reliable sources of offense early on, but they will need help, as will Dostál, another bright spot on the roster. He has been impressive in the first few weeks of 2024-25 and sits second in the NHL with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.99, and first in save percentage (SV%) at .945.

The Ducks seem content to ride Dostál and his hot hitting as they have limited the chances of James Reimer, who has only played twice in 10 games. The goaltending rotation will be anyone’s guess when John Gibson recovers from his emergency surgery, but for now, it’s rightly Dostál’s net.

Ducks Need to Get Back on Track Against Blackhawks

The Blackhawks, the Ducks’ opponents tonight, have very little going for them other than the rise of Connor Bedard. Both teams need this game, but the Ducks need it more. The game against the Blackhawks, a team that struggles on defense, is a great opportunity for them to work on their offensive zone game, handle pressure and possession, and create more chances than their opposition. We’ll see who gets up tonight. Puck drop is 5 PM PST at Honda Center.