Anaheim Ducks: Pre-Game Puck Drop vs Arizona Coyotes
By Ciara Durant
The Anaheim Ducks face off against the Arizona Coyotes for the second time in the span of a week. With a record of 3-0-0, the Anaheim Ducks are looking to continue their winning streak at Honda Center tonight.
Game 3: Anaheim Ducks vs Arizona Coyotes
The Anaheim Ducks have had an outstanding start to their season. Despite a few major hiccups out on the ice, they’ve managed to overcome the odds that were stacked against them and start the season 3-0-0. They face the Coyotes tonight, who currently have a record of 0-2-0.
Location: Honda Center — Anaheim, California
Time: 7:00 p.m. PST
TV: FS Prime Ticket
Anaheim Ducks Projected Line-up:
Rickard Rakell–Adam Henrique–Troy Terry
Max Comtois–Sam Steel–Jakob Silfverberg
Andrew Cogliano–Isac Lundestrom–Kiefer Sherwood
Ben Street–Carter Rowney–Brian Gibbons
Hampus Lindholm–Brandon Montour
Marcus Pettersson–Andrej Sustr
John Gibson (Starting)
Ducks Injuries: Ryan Getzlaf (Leg), Ryan Kesler (Hip), Patrick Eaves (Shoulder), Ondrej Kase (Concussion), Corey Perry (Knee), Korbinian Holzer (Wrist)
Ducks Healthy Scratches: Luke Schenn
Last Game: (2-3 win vs Detroit Red Wings)
A rematch, 25 years in the making, ended with different results on Monday night. The home opener at Honda Center ended with a win for the Anaheim Ducks, yes. However, the same issues they have been struggling with were exposed yet again. The first half of the game, Detroit was outshooting the Ducks. There was still a lack of communication between the players out on the ice, and they couldn’t maintain control of the puck. This led to sloppy plays.
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It was blatantly obvious that the Red Wings were exhausted, having just played the Kings the night before. Although tired, they outsmarted the Anaheim Ducks to get on the board first. Nevertheless, a second-period goal (10:57) from Hampus Lindholm reignited the fire. The team finally began to play a little more cohesively. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to lead them to a win.
Jakob Silfverberg has been a constant for the Anaheim Ducks, with five points in three games attributed to his name. He scored the Ducks second goal of the night, tieing the game 2-2. This forced the game into overtime, and eventually a shootout. The case for Maxime Comtois to stay with the club long-term is growing stronger. He has proved, thus far, that he can produce at least one point per game, assisting on Silfverbergs goal late in the third. John Gibson continues to impress in the net, saving 91 of 95 shots in the past three games.
Isac Lundestrom made his NHL debut, and although wasn’t able to produce any points, he took a few good chances. He took on a lot of responsibility in his first NHL game, centering the third line, with another rookie on his right. Troy Terry scored the game-winning goal in the shootout, scoring the only Anaheim Ducks goal five-hole. Hopefully, the momentum of winning the shootout carries over into tonight’s game against Arizona.
Call Off the Dogs
The Arizona Coyotes haven’t played since the Anaheim Ducks shut them out during their home opener on Saturday. Although they lost, the Coyotes outshot the Ducks almost 2 to 1. They gave John Gibson a run for his money, having 41 shots on goal. They definitely took advantage of the Anaheim Ducks weakness’, and they’ve had five days to try and attempt to come up with a plan on how to snag the win.
Not much has changed as far as the Coyotes since we last saw them. The Ducks still need to keep an eye on speedy forwards such as Clayton Keller and Brendan Perlini. These two players know how to control the pace of the game, and if the Ducks aren’t careful, it could result in the Coyotes upsetting their feathered foes. Antti Raanta only allowed one goal in their last game, facing only 20 shots compared to the 41 John Gibson saw. He was, for the most part, solid in the net for the Coyotes.
The Coyotes offense knows how to create great scoring opportunities, they just need to execute better. The Ducks should be taking notes, but they are also in the capable hands of John Gibson. They cannot, however, rely solely on their goaltender to keep their opponents from scoring goals. Nevertheless, Gibson has been a crucial piece to the Ducks winning puzzle.
With key players out, the rookies need to make sure that they are in tune with the seasoned veterans who are leading them on the ice. The veterans also need to make sure that they lead by example so that the rookies follow suit.
Despite the issues the Ducks have been struggling with, they still have many players the Coyotes need to keep their eyes on. Max Comtois and Jakob Silfverberg have great chemistry together, having a combined eight points together in the past three games. Their combined hockey IQ has proven to be lethal.
If the Ducks can focus on their puck control and possession, they can pull off another win tonight. The Coyotes are a good team for the rookies and veterans to work out some kinks. They are still in a rebuild and figuring out how to be a cohesive team as well.
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Stick with us on Twitter for live updates during tonight’s game! Hopefully, we can fend off our furry foes and extend our record to 4-0-0.