The Anaheim Ducks lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 4-3 in overtime. After a resounding and emotional win against the Rangers, the Ducks entered the game against the Blue Jackets on the back half of back-to-backs. The Ducks skaters looked fast and competitive in the first period with plenty of scoring chances. However, in the latter stages of the contest, the Ducks were running on fumes. The top defenseman took center stage though; Jackson LaCombe of the Ducks and Zach Werenski of the Blue Jackets.
Olympic hopefuls
While a few Ducks players are already locks for the respective national teams for the upcoming Winter Olympics, LaCombe could make a case to be on the long list of potential Team USA candidates, probably not for this Olympic cycle, but for the future at least. Werenski, on the other hand, should be a lock in a highly competitive group. Here is how the stat lines looked for the two skaters, prior to the game in Columbus.
Skater | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Time on Ice per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LaCombe | 33 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 25:04 |
Werenski | 32 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 26:37 |
Werenski made the case for himself loud and clear in the first period, when he came streaking down the high slot, deked around Beckett Sennecke, and potted the first goal of the game for the Blue Jackets. Later in the second period, Werenski would put the Blue Jackets in the lead again, off an odd man rush.
Z DOUBLED DOWN! 🚨
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 17, 2025
CBJ x @FanaticsBook pic.twitter.com/jxInEqnt2g
Not to be outdone, LaCombe responded with a goal of his own, to tie the game in the third period.
🚨 LaCombe 🚨
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) December 17, 2025
He banks it off Greaves' head and in!!
Tie game! #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/la8FxBkoqZ
That's where the comeback magic would end though, as Adam Fantilli would get the game winner in overtime to send the Ducks home with at least one point in the standings.
Final tally
Skater | Goals | Assists | Time on Ice |
|---|---|---|---|
LaCombe | 1 | 0 | 31:23 |
Werenski | 2 | 1 | 29:31 |
Werenski is the guy for the Blue Jackets, at the moment, and the team goes as he goes. Werenski was a factor in three of the four goals for the Jackets and combined with his defensive play away from the puck, any hockey fan could see why he should be a lock for Team USA.
LaCombe was leaned on heavily by the coaching staff, as the Ducks tried to claw their way back into the game, as the next closest Duck defender in ice time was Jacob Trouba with 25:18. For comparison, Pavel Mintyukov had the least amount of ice time for a Ducks defender, with 12:01. While LaCombe does not possess the offensive capabilities of Werenski, he is still the number one defenseman for the Ducks.
Running on fumes
The Ducks looked physically drained by the end of the game, as many of the team's skaters did not have that extra pop in their skating strides. Coupled with an inability to finish on scoring chances, the Ducks rang at least four shots off posts, and the grind to the finish line of a long road trip became apparent.
With a couple days off and an upcoming three game homestand, the Ducks would do well come out strong against their next opponent: the Dallas Stars. With a precarious lead in the Pacific Division in the balance and with more games played than their biggest challengers, the Vegas Golden Knights and surging Edmonton Oilers, the Ducks will need the standings points.