A rookie shines in the first game for the Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks lost their season opener against the Seattle Kraken by a final score of 3-1. Despite the loss, however, there were some bright spots from the game, including an encouraging debut for a young Ducks skater.

A rookie shines

Beckett Sennecke made his NHL debut after being a surprise addition to the opening night roster and made a great first impression by scoring the first goal of the season for the Ducks.

Off of a nice backhand pass from Mason McTavish, Sennecke not only scored his first NHL goal, but scored on his first shot. The offensive skill that made Sennecke the third overall draft pick was on display all night; he was creative in the offensive zone and was getting his looks around the net, while playing on the second line with Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish.

The little details in his offensive game were evident, snapping passes to streaking forwards up the middle of the ice to generate offensive rushes and even short passes while cycling in the offensive zone.

However, the defensive warts in Sennecke's game were apparent too. In the first period, he made a great play to knock down a puck to keep possession in the offensive zone but made a blind pass to back the Ducks' blue line, which was picked off by the Kraken and generated a rush chance against.

These Jekyll and Hyde moments were evident during the preseason in Sennecke's game. He can make great offensive plays with his hockey sense and shooting ability, but the lapses in his defensive game hinder his potential, for now. With Ryan Strome still day-to-day with an injury, Sennecke has bought himself a little runway to make a good impression with the coaching staff and extend his stay with the big club.