A gut punch from the Avalanche proves the Ducks aren't ready...yet

Entering last night's game, the Ducks were first in the Pacific Division with 23 points and had a record of 11-3-1. The Avalanche were first in the Central Division, with 25 points and a record of 10-1-5. The Ducks were on a seven-game win streak and had nine wins in their past ten games, much to the surprise of some. Leo Carlsson was on fire, tied for second in the NHL in points with 25 (10 G, 15 A). Cutter Gauthier was tied for third in goals with 11. Everything was coming up aces for the Ducks.

In a much-anticipated game on national television featuring these two division leaders though, the Ducks faltered and lost to the Avalanche by a final score 4-1.

Old habits still lingering

Earlier in the season, the Ducks made a habit of falling behind early in games and ended up having to chase the score, instead of playing with a lead. Not even 28 seconds into this game, the Ducks fell back into that old habit.

Be it pressure, the national broadcast hype, the compressed schedule, or any other combination of factors; the Ducks started behind the proverbial eight ball once again. There were four Ducks skaters almost all along the goal line, allowing Nathan MacKinnon to easily slide a pass to Arturri Lehkonen in the slot for a one-timer, that Lukas Dostal had no chance of stopping.

Carlsson at least provided Ducks fans with a glimmer of hope, countering with his own goal in the first period, which also marked his 100th career point.

However, a goal from Gabriel Landeskog in the second period, off of a broken play from a broken stick, and a power play goal from Martin Necas in the third period; further prevented a Ducks comeback. An empty net goal from Parker Kelly, only added salt to the wound. The Avalanche are currently the best team in the Western Conference, stifling the hype behind the Ducks' torrid start.

The Avalanche offer a glimpse of what can be

There are no players currently on the Ducks roster that can be what MacKinnon and Cale Makar are. MacKinnon and Makar are in the upper tier of players in the entire NHL, for their respective positions. But the Ducks do have a number one center, Carlsson, and a number one defenseman, Jackson LaCombe. While LaCombe is an entirely different type of player than Makar, he still is a solid foundational piece. The same perspective applies to Carlsson as well; he is no MacKinnon, but Carlsson is the main piece for the Ducks.

If you squint your eyes and turn your head sideways, you can see some parallels though. The Ducks play a much faster game, than in years past, allowing for improvisation and is predicated on their top skaters making plays in high-leverage moments. The top six forwards for the Ducks still remain above 60% for expected goals. The same applies to the top six forwards for the Avalanche as well.

One of the main differentiators between the two teams though, is on the back end. The defensive pairings for the Avalanche are at or above 54% for expected goals. Only one pairing is above that mark for the Ducks, Jacob Trouba and Olen Zellweger at 54%.

This topic probably needs a more thorough deep dive, but at the base level, the way the Avalanche play offers a blueprint for the Ducks to follow.