The Anaheim Ducks preseason opener offered up a little bit of everything that hockey has to offer. Plenty of goals, some great saves, some scrums, a power play goal, a short handed goal and some entertaining 3-on-3 overtime action were all on display. However, the most important takeaway from the game is that HOCKEY IS BACK!
The Ducks fell to the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 in overtime but it was a positive type of loss for the Ducks for a number of reasons.
For starters, the Avalanche had their two best players, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon, in the lineup while the Ducks rested the majority of their big name guys. Landeskog and MacKinnon combined for three assists in the game but the Ducks young guns kept the game entertaining and close.
The biggest names in the Ducks lineup were John Gibson, Simon Despres, Pat Maroon, Rickard Rakell, Jiri Sekac, Mike Santorelli, Josh Manson and Chris Wagner.
The game started beautifully for the Ducks as Jiri Sekac scored just 28 seconds into the opening period. The teams exchanged goals throughout and the game was tied headed into overtime which was a nice thing to have happen since the teams were going to test out the NHL’s new 3-on-3 overtime format regardless of the final score at the end of regulation.
Veteran Alex Tanguay ended the game quickly in the 3-on-3 to give Colorado the win and I think it’s safe to say that we won’t be seeing a ton of shootouts this year.
The remainder of the Anaheim Ducks preseason schedule looks like this:
Vs. Los Angeles on Friday, @ San Jose on Saturday, @ Los Angeles on the 29th, Vs. Colorado on October 1st and Vs. San Jose on October 3rd
What Did Bruce Boudreau’s Lines Look Like In The Opener?
Boudreau shuffled through a number of combinations on the power play and penalty kill. Despres, Friberg, Sekac, Theodore and Rakell all played more than three minutes on the power play while Despres, Santorelli, Friberg, Theodore and Rakell all played more than three minutes on the penalty kill.
In the 3-on-3 overtime Boudreau started with Rakell, Friberg and Theodore. His second 3-on-3 unit was Santorelli, Wagner and Montour.
Who Played Well?
John Gibson made some flashy saves including a big one to start the 3-on-3 overtime. It was a bit surprising that Gibson played the entire game and he finished with 26 saves on 31 shots. It was not his best performance but he did not have the strongest supporting cast playing in front of him.
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Jiri Sekac looked like a completely different player in the preseason opener. He scored two goals and looked as though he had put in the work during the offseason to push for an everyday spot with the Ducks this season. Boudreau had even stated during camp that Sekac appeared stronger and ready to play.
Before being traded to the Ducks last season, the knock on Sekac in Montreal was him being unreliable defensively. Sekac had a +2 rating last night, another promising sign. There are two spots available in the Ducks top six forward group and Jiri Sekac clearly wants one of them.
The Ducks 2015 second round pick Julius Nattinen continued to impress as well, he knocked in a rebound for his lone goal and point of the game. From rookie camp, to training camp to now the preseason, Nattinen looks like he could turn into the steal of the draft for the Ducks. Nattinen will spend this season in the OHL playing for Barrie.
Anaheim Ducks
Chris Wagner and Nick Ritchie both played well and the duos hard work paid off on a gritty goal in front of the net that Wagner knocked in. Wagner and Ritchie both used their bodies exceptionally well to win and protect pucks in the corners, something that could end up leading to an everyday spot with the big club this year. Wagner also added five hits in the game.
Mike Santorelli quietly had a two point night with a pair of assists. This offseason Santorelli was given a one-year deal worth $875,000, a cheap price to pay for a guy that had a 40-point season in 2010-2011.
Max Friberg had the best camp of any Ducks prospect and he looked good against Colorado as well. He had just one assist but his combination of speed and skill is something that was noticeable.
Friberg and Rickard Rakell made some nice plays together during the game and I think the possibility of the two developing chemistry is something that intrigues Boudreau, a possible third or fourth line combo could be in the making as the two also played together to start the 3-on-3 overtime.
Shea Theodore led the Ducks in ice time and was probably Anaheims best defender in the game. Theodore made one very nice play as the speedy Nathan MacKinnon raced into the offensive zone and Theodore matched the former first overall pick stride for stride, eventually knocking the puck off of his stick.
Simon Despres and Josh Manson looked good as well. Manson led the Ducks with six hits and Despres finished with an assist and a +2 rating. Brandon Montour struggled a bit and ended up with a -3 rating and zero points.
Looking Ahead
Don’t be surprised if the Ducks get some of their big name guys back in the lineup as early as Friday against the Kings.
The Ducks were back on the ice at practice Wednesday morning and began some power play work. The first unit was comprised of Getzlaf, Perry, Stewart, Fowler and Vatanen. However, Boudreau is still the coach and things may very well change.
Stay tuned for more preseason reports.
Next: Anaheim Ducks 10 Things To Watch For During Preseason
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