In a back-and-forth affair that began with an electric pregame ceremony and later included multiple lead changes, nine goals scored, and one minute of bonus hockey, the Anaheim Ducks secured their eighth-consecutive home opener victory in their 5-4 triumph over the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday (Oct. 16). It wasn’t pretty, but the first week of the regular season rarely is, and the Ducks will take the two points, the 2-1-0 record, and move on to the next.
Well, the next one is tonight (Oct. 18) and it’s against Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and the Colorado Avalanche, who have shockingly begun the season winless through four games. They are probably thinking tonight is their night to break through, but if the Ducks play the right way, the Avs won’t capture win number one. Let’s look at the latest themes and storylines surrounding the Ducks as we preview tonight’s tilt in Colorado.
Big Nights for Carlsson, Mintyukov, and Terry as Ducks Deliver in Home Opener
The Ducks’ home-opening win was a feel-good story and an exciting way to open the home slate. Courtesy of some ill-timed penalties and costly mistakes, they fell behind twice — including in the third period — but got the equalizer to force overtime, where Leo Carlsson dominated his shift with his speed, puck handling, and craftiness before ultimately converting on a breakaway chance to beat Connor Ingram. It was the second of two points on the night for Carlsson, who assisted on Pavel Mintyukov’s game-tying marker late in the final frame.
Mintyukov used his offensive instincts to make a major impact in the win over Utah. What do I mean by offensive instincts? Well, as a defenseman, Mintyukov’s responsibility is to realize when he can and cannot jump into plays, where to position himself to make the most impact, and also maintain his spatial awareness to ensure he is not so far out of position he cannot recover. He executed that to perfection against Utah. Both of his goals resulted directly from him jumping into the play and getting himself into a dangerous scoring position. Both goals were scored from places forwards typically score from. It was a huge start to the season for a 20-year-old expected to play a major role on the Ducks’ blue line this season.
Troy Terry scored in his second-straight game to give him his second of the young season. Him starting out hot is exactly what he, the Ducks, and the doctor ordered. If they are to build any sort of reliable and consistent offensive attack, Terry must be a factor. It took him seven games to get his second goal in 2023-24, and nearly 30 games to get five, so to see him get two in the first week is huge for him and this team.
Game Will Likely Be Decided on Special Teams
The Avs may be winless in the season’s first week, but they are still an offensive juggernaut, especially on the power play. MacKinnon, Maker, and Rantanen can zip the puck around and attack the net with the intent to score better than arguably every other man-advantage unit across the league. To prove that point, consider that they have scored on a whopping 50% of their power-play chances so far in the young season (6-for-12). Needless to say, containing them is central to tonight’s game plan. The Ducks are working through the discipline issues that plagued them all of last season and have begun the 2024-25 campaign with nine minor penalties in three games. That’s not terrible, but it’s more than enough for the Avs to take advantage.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum sits the Ducks’ power play, which has yet to convert on any of its chances through three games. Head coach Greg Cronin is experimenting with a variety of different looks, including different four-forward sets and combinations of veterans and young players. To date, nothing has resulted in a conversion, and it looks wildly inconsistent – sometimes they move the puck effectively and get shots, other times they aren’t on the same page at all. What gives tonight? You can bet that the winner of this battle will win the game.
Forward Line to Watch: Zegras-McTavish-Fabbri
While it was not the trio that we expected coming out of the preseason, the combination of Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Robby Fabbri has looked good early on and should have a chance to shine and make plays once again. Fabbri got his first goal in a Ducks uniform in the win over Utah when he was beautifully set up behind the net by Zegras. McTavish tallied two assists including the initial setup to Zegras that led to Fabbri’s goal.
Fabbri, who Cronin praised after the game, plays the game hard and will do whatever it takes. He fills a role on this line that is not unlike Alex Killorn’s role on the top line – setting up his two young teammates for success by battling hard, competing for and retrieving pucks, and being in the right spots when the playmakers on his line get him the puck. He has done exactly that so far, and should serve as a model for McTavish, who plays with finesse but has a gritty and competitive edge of his own. Look for them to generate offense in what should be another back-and-forth game.
Related: Ducks’ Greg Cronin Has Options Ahead of Second Year as Head Coach
One of the indirect benefits of this trio is that it has pushed Terry to the third line alongside Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome, another combination that has showed early signs of chemistry. Despite the small sample size, Cronin’s moves and combinations thus far have given the Ducks legitimate scoring threats on three forward lines.
Don’t Let the Avs’ Record Fool You
Don’t let the 0-4-0 start or the 25 goals against fool you. The Avalanche are chock-full of offensive stars who have put up good numbers in the early going and will start to turn it around against someone. Their urgency to get in the win column will be akin to a hungry dog on a bone and that makes them dangerous. The Ducks will need to be ready to take on everything the Avs throw at them. Puck drop is 6 PM PST at Ball Arena in Denver.
