Amid the Anaheim Ducks’ longest road trip of the season, rookie Leo Carlsson returned early from an MCL injury to help the Ducks defeat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime on Monday in Sunrise, FL. Anaheim trailed Florida 4-2 late in the second period before scoring three unanswered goals, including Alex Killorn’s game-winner 48 seconds into OT.
The win snapped the Ducks’ two-game skid after multi-goal losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and Saturday.
Ducks’ Injury Woes
In the two games against the Hurricanes and Lightning, the Ducks fell into an early hole but fought back thanks to the hard-working mentality that head coach Greg Cronin has instilled in his squad. But effort only goes so far for a young, rebuilding team that is missing two top-six players and two top-four defensemen.
The first of these setbacks occurred on Dec. 21 when Carlsson suffered a sprained right knee ligament after a collision with Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. The second overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft missed the following 10 games, and the Ducks limped to a 2-7-1 record in that span.
With Carlsson out and defenseman Jamie Drysdale playing in a different orange and black sweater, Anaheim’s already thin lineup suffered two more significant losses on Dec. 9 against the Nashville Predators. Forward Trevor Zegras suffered a broken left ankle in the first period and will miss five to seven more weeks. Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov also exited the game with a separated shoulder and will be out another five weeks.
The Ducks held on to defeat the Predators, but the roster limitations showed in the next two games against Eastern Conference heavyweights.
Down 3-1 against the Hurricanes, Anaheim scored two goals 47 seconds apart in the second to tie the game 3-3 before running out of gas in a 6-3 defeat. In Tampa Bay, the Ducks again trailed by two before Frank Vatrano scored to make it 2-1 in the second period. It looked like another game that Anaheim could steal, but the Lightning’s league-leading power play (29.5%) struck thrice, and the Bolts won 5-1.
Anaheim was dominated in possession in both contests and outshot 34-16 by Carolina and 46-21 by Tampa Bay. The Ducks competed, but the glaring talent deficiencies made it difficult to come back against two of the league’s better teams.
Carlsson’s Impact
Carlsson was projected to miss four to six weeks but returned to the lineup against Florida after three and a half weeks. For the third game in a row, Anaheim found themselves down 2-0, but with Carlsson back in the lineup, the Ducks’ fortunes changed. The speed and playmaking that the team has missed without him and Zegras was enough to upset last season’s Stanley Cup runner-up.
One sequence, in particular, highlighted Carlsson’s impact on the ice. Midway through the third period of the matinee matchup, an exhausted Carlsson returned to the bench after moving his feet for a full :34 shift. The Ducks’ rookie forward caught his breath and wrapped his arm around linemate Troy Terry.
The moment happened after Carlsson nearly created a scoring chance for Terry. During the play, Carlsson blazed through center ice, deked Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and kicked the puck forward to his stick before entering the offensive zone. The veteran defender regrouped in time to smother Carlsson and break up his pass attempt to Terry, who was streaking down the left wing.
Although the play didn’t result in a goal, Carlsson’s speed through the neutral zone and ability to challenge one of the league’s top defensemen with size and skill showed how he can become an elite two-way player. Afterwards, Carlsson’s gesture on the bench suggested he was apologizing to Terry for failing to get him the puck. The 19-year-old Swede’s mea culpa was unwarranted. He showed little rust in his strong debut performance following the MCL injury. Carlsson did not register a point in the game, but his contributions went beyond the stat sheet.
Ducks’ First Line Takes Flight
With Carlsson centering the first line between Terry and Alex Killorn, the Ducks had an effective top-forward trio against the Panthers that netted three goals. Killorn led the way with two goals on five shots, while Terry tallied one goal on a team-high six shots.
The duo had 11 of the Ducks’ 26 shots. Although Carlsson did not register a shot on goal, he played smart in his own end, moved his feet all game, and snapped clean passes to his teammates. His play allowed Terry and Killorn to be more aggressive offensively and create chances.
Ducks’ Depth Throughout the Lineup
Cronin shifted his lineup with Carlsson back in the fold. Mason McTavish bumped down to center the second line, and Adam Henrique flourished playing alongside him. In previous games, Henrique was forced into the second-line center spot. Without having the defensive responsibilities of a centerman, Henrique was free to take chances on the wing, and he responded with a two-point night (one goal and one assist).
The first-year coach also moved Vatrano down to the third line against the Panthers, which helped distribute more skill to the bottom six. He gave the third line more playmaking ability, and he finished with two assists.
Ducks’ Swedish Connection
Veteran forward Jakob Silfverberg scored his second goal of the campaign when he snuck the puck between Florida goalie Anthony Stolarz’s five-hole in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-3. It was his first goal in 32 games – his previous goal came on Oct. 30 in Anaheim’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The goal was Silfverberg’s 153rd of his career, tying Steve Rucchin for sixth on the Ducks’ all-time scoring list. It may have been a coincidence that he ended his goal drought on the same night Carlsson returned from a 10-game absence, but having his Swedish countryman back in the lineup couldn’t have hurt.
What’s Next for the Ducks?
The Ducks (15-27-1) have 39 games remaining in their season and will likely lose more games than they win. They remain a relatively thin group, particularly on the backend and in the bottom six. Their special teams play has also been a cause for concern; they have allowed power-play goals in three straight games, and the penalty-kill unit has been unsuccessful in five of their last seven attempts.
However, Carlsson’s return will help prevent the Ducks’ season from completely falling off the rails. In the short term, the Ducks can split their six-game road trip with a win over the Washington Capitals (20-15-6) on Tuesday or the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (10-13-3). This seemed unlikely before Monday. Now, the Ducks have enough hope and talent to realize this feat.
