2 reasons why the Anaheim Ducks have hit a speed bump

The Anaheim Ducks have not had the puck bounces go in their favor of late, by going 0-2-1 in their last three games. As a result, the rest of the Pacific Division has caught up to the Ducks, who are now tied with the Edmonton Oilers in points, with 87. The Ducks currently hold the tiebreaker, by having played one fewer game. But the Vegas Golden Knights have closed the gap too and have 84 points. Two key factors have led to the Ducks remaining stagnant, which has opened the door for the competition.

Poor powerplay

The Ducks have been near the bottom of the league, all season, in terms of their powerplay conversion rate. As of today, the Ducks rank 23rd in the NHL with an 18.1 powerplay percentage. During their recent losing stretch, however, the Ducks powerplay has been even worse. The Ducks have had 12 powerplays, but have had only scored once, on a throwaway shot from Cutter Gauthier that somehow slipped five-hole on Anthony Stolarz.

The Ducks had ample opportunities to put the game out of reach against the Maple Leafs, especially early when the Ducks had a rare 5 v 3 powerplay but could not convert. And that's part of what is particularly maddening about the lack of results, as a top powerplay unit that consists of Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry, Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, and John Carlson, should not be that flaccid. The Ducks are always looking for the perfect shot or perfect play, instead of just simply shooting more. In the last game against the Sharks, Carlson started taking matters into his own hands and began firing more pucks from the blue line.

The Ducks have to find a way to convert more often, especially when the playoffs begin and the ice gets smaller. A team with so much young talent, should not be so lackluster on the powerplay.

Injuries are taking a toll

Stop if you've heard this before, but the Ducks have a few walking wounded, again. Every team deals with injuries throughout the season, but the Ducks have been hit hard of late. The game against the Maple Leafs was a disaster from a health perspective, and the Ducks have yet to recover.

The fact that Mason McTavish has not stepped up his game either, as nominal fourth line center Tim Washe has moved up to the second line instead, only amplifies how problematic the injuries have been. Washe is a good player, but he should not be in the top six for the Ducks. A healthy lineup is more important for the playoffs, than for the remainder of the regular season, but the Ducks are at the precipice of being overtaken. The jumbling of the lineup, due to the injuries, has only exasperated the problem.

There's still time

The Ducks kick off a set of back-to-back home games tonight against the St. Louis Blues, who are five points out of a playoff spot, but should be competing hard for an outside chance of making the postseason. The Ducks will then host the bottom dwelling, but always feisty Calgary Flames tomorrow. After that, the Ducks will only play two games against opponents currently in a playoff position (San Jose and Minnesota). There's still time for the Ducks to right the ship and get healthy before the playoffs, but the regular season is ending fast.