On the heels of a close but well-played loss to the Dallas Stars the other night, the Anaheim Ducks move on to game four of their schedule in a Saturday afternoon contest today with the Arizona Coyotes, who enter the matchup with a 2-2 record. The Coyotes hold wins over the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues and will look to collect their third of the season and second in a row when the Ducks visit Gila River Arena.
Related: 3 Takeaways from Ducks’ 3-2 Loss to Stars
The Ducks, on the other hand, want to get back in the win column and get back to .500. While the competition is not easier, per se, they are done matching up with Stanley Cup contenders for the time being. With the way they’ve started the season, this is a very winnable game. Let’s preview the matchup by looking at storylines, personnel, and tactics.
Encore Performance from Leo?
Other than not winning many of his faceoffs (not uncommon for rookies), Leo Carlsson shined in his NHL debut. He picked up his first goal, logged two shots, and finished with a plus-2 in 19 minutes of ice time. The playing time ranked fifth amongst Ducks forwards. Troy Terry praised Carlsson in his postgame comments, complimenting his skills, strength, and speed.
Centering a top forward line, which has significant offensive and defensive responsibilities against the likes of Miro Heiskanen, Ryan Suter, Joe Pavelski, is a tough ask of anyone, let alone an 18-year-old making his debut. That he did as well as he did is an encouraging start. A win would’ve made it sweeter, but he’ll have the chance to help deliver that in career game number two.
Adam Henrique remains day-to-day and may come back for the contest, but there’s no reason at this point to move Carlsson down the lineup after the line was responsible for both goals against Dallas. Carlsson’s composure, effectiveness, and early chemistry with Terry and Zegras warrant another look against the Coyotes’ defense that can be had.
Look for Ducks to Convert on the Power Play
The Ducks might be young, but there’s no questioning the skill and potential they possess, especially when it comes to the power play. Call it early-season special teams woes, but between the veteran presences of Cam Fowler, Terry, and Trevor Zegras, and the youthful skill and exuberance of Pavel Mintyukov, Jamie Drysdale, and Mason McTavish, it won’t be long before this combination of players starts producing goals on the man advantage. Look for McTavish to start connecting on that one-timer he scored a few times with last season.
The penalty-killing unit is another story. They’ve struggled so far, though it’s worth mentioning they’ve faced three lethal power play units, which most teams would struggle against. Rounding out special teams is certainly a gradual process, and the Ducks have a chance to work through those kinks against a slightly less dangerous Coyotes unit.
Coyotes to Watch
Clayton Keller – the slick, crafty, and highly-skilled player that he is, will be one of the best players on the ice today. In 26 career games against the Ducks, he has 20 points. He’s quick, shifty, and recorded two points in the win over the Blues the other night. He’ll look to keep that momentum going when the puck drops against Anaheim.
Logan Cooley – the young stud and former teammate of Jackson LaCombe at the University of Minnesota has yet to light the lamp but has impressed so far, collecting four assists in four games. With a goal-of-the-year candidate from the preseason, you can bet that Cooley will be looking for opportunities to put the puck in the back of the net this afternoon (Oct. 21). The fast, skilled rookie is a dark-horse candidate to contend for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie this season. He, like Keller, will be a handful for Anaheim’s young defense core.
Ducks to Watch
Aside from Carlsson, McTavish is another Duck to look out for today. Despite another strong and effective effort against the Stars, he was held scoreless for the first time this season. This matchup is headlined by the young talent on both rosters, and McTavish is one of the leaders of that crop. Look for him to use his big body and skill in tight spaces to get back on track, which seems likely given the early-season chemistry between himself, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano.
Win Special Teams, Win the Game
Special teams have been the difference in the two losses for the Ducks. They haven’t converted on their man-advantage opportunities and haven’t killed enough penalties. Every game is a chance to rewrite that script, however, and the Ducks have the high-end skill offensively and defensively to produce positive results on special teams. Look for them to accomplish that against Arizona and squeak out a win to even their record to 2-2.
Prediction: Ducks 3, Coyotes 2 (2023-24 prediction record: 2-1).
How do you see the game against Arizona playing out? Sound off in the comments below!
