Three Takeaways from the Ducks’ Opening Road Trip

Oct 14, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center William Karlsson (38) celebrates the winning winning goal during a shootout with defenseman Hampus Lindholm (47) and left wing Matt Beleskey (39) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. The Ducks won 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

After a second consecutive year with an embarrassing loss in the opening game, the Ducks have bounced back and have another solid winning streak following the rout for the second straight season.

Last season, the team was trounced 6-1 by the Avalanche, and the lasting memory of that game was then-rookie head coach Patrick Roy banging the glass that separated the two benches after a heated dispute with Bruce Boudreau. After that defeat, the Ducks went on to win seven straight games to put that nightmare of an opener behind them.

This year, the team is trending in a similar fashion after a 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins that was not as close as the scoreboard depicted it to be. Sidney Crosby and his teammates used their incredible speed and high-end skill to pummel the Ducks, and besides a Corey Perry hat-trick, there were very few positive moments in the game, if any.

But once again, the team has rebounded, winning its past three games and feeling confident about the state of the organization before heading into the home opener against the Wild on Friday night. Throughout this road trip, the Ducks have already seen some storylines and controversies appear.