The Anaheim Ducks cooled off in week five of the season and slid down the standings

Week five concluded with the Ducks continuing to skid, featuring a loss against the Minnesota Wild by a final score of 2-0. The forward lines were juggled all night by the Anaheim coaching staff, as the team was desperate for some offensive spark. Yet, Jesper Wallstedt of the Wild kept the Ducks off the scoreboard and the Ducks' offensive woes continued, dimming the bright optimism that circled the team, as recently as last week.

The third straight loss punctuated a tough road trip, in which the Ducks only scored four goals. Despite sputtering in week five against strong competition, the Ducks still had some bright spots in a challenging week.

The three stars of the week

Third star: Beckett Sennecke

While the entire Ducks team struggled to find the scoresheet in week five, Sennecke still kept pace with the rookie leaders by adding two goals and an assist, giving him 12 points on the season. In the only win of the week, Sennecke again showcased his shooting ability against the Winnipeg Jets.

Second star: Leo Carlsson

Much like the rest of the team, Carlsson also had an off week, only adding three goals to his season total. Compared to how hot the scoring had been for him through the first four weeks of the season though, a drop off in production should have been anticipated. However, Carlsson did provide the only bright spot in the game against the Avalanche, becoming the youngest player in Ducks history to reach 100 points.

First star: Petr Mrazek

Picking the backup goalie who only got one start in a loss to the Minnesota Wild, may seem like an odd choice, but there is a purpose for the selection. Mrazek has a highly aggressive style, as he is usually playing at the top of blue paint, leaving himself vulnerable to cross-crease passes and rebounds. However, he kept the mistakes to a minimum and gave the Ducks a chance to stay in the game. Mrazek only allowed one goal on 29 shots, for a .966 save percentage. After Lukas Dostal struggled in his two previous starts and had unflattering stat lines, Mrazek provided the Ducks with a quality start, despite not getting the win.

Biggest Concern

Mason McTavish struggles

The Ducks only scoring four goals in three games was not great. Mason McTavish only having one point, an assist, for the week was even worse. As the number two center for the team, McTavish receives ample ice time and plays on the second power play unit. With Cutter Gauthier and Sennecke typically on the wings, McTavish is complemented with enough offensive talent to impact games, yet his offense evaporated in week five.

Compounding the offensive struggles, was McTavish's penchant for taking bad penalties. In the game against Minnesota, McTavish took a minor for high-sticking then took a double minor for high-sticking again, in the same period. Under the previous coaching regime, bad penalties were commonplace, and McTavish was consistently in the penalty box. The necessity for McTavish to stay out of the penalty box cannot be overstated enough; the Ducks need him on the ice.

What's next?

The Ducks finally return back to Anaheim for an extended two-week homestand, that kicks off with a game against another surprising upstart team, the Utah Mammoth. Having played the majority of this season's games on the road, the Ducks can benefit from having an extended reprieve on home ice, with the possibly of getting a couple injured players back into the lineup.