The Anaheim Ducks play the second of eight straight home games when they host the Seattle Kraken tonight (Dec. 23) at the Honda Center. In their final game before the short Christmas break, the Ducks need to come out fast to avoid falling behind.
Related: 4 Takeaways From Ducks’ Shutout Loss to Flames
Any good feeling coming from their recent victories over the New Jersey Devils (Dec. 17) and Detroit Red Wings (Dec. 18) was quickly squashed with one of their worst performances this season in the loss to the Calgary Flames (Dec. 21). The Ducks now need to regroup fast and be ready to play from the very first puck drop. Let’s preview the Kraken matchup by looking at storylines, personnel, and tactics.
Ducks’ Start Will Reveal a Lot About Them
The Ducks weren’t ready to play against the Flames. They surrendered a season-high 43 shots, including 25 in the second period. They had three total shots of their own in the third period. They still await word on the severity of Leo Carlsson’s right leg injury. And finally, there’s still the fact that the Ducks have won three times in an 18-game stretch. That’s a lot to digest for a young team.
A good start, however, can keep them in the moment and eliminate any remnants of the negativity and misfortune that surrounds them. Going into the Christmas break with a win will do wonders for their morale. Getting the first goal and settling into their game plan is the first step on their path to victory.
The Offense Needs a Jolt
Getting a win against the Kraken will require a complete 180 turn offensively. Against the Flames, they were shut out, sustained minimal offensive zone time, and never really threatened at any point. They developed a good rhythm against the Devils and Red Wings by shooting the puck often, moving the puck well, and taking the puck to the net. More of that will be required.
Someone in the Ducks lineup needs to provide that spark to get them going. Last week, Troy Terry and Adam Henrique were the spark. Before he got hurt, Mason McTavish was often the catalyst, as was Frank Vatrano. Trevor Zegras may return tonight; if he does, then perhaps he will electrify an often dull and predictable offensive attack.
Ducks Player to Watch: Jamie Drysdale
Jamie Drysdale’s return to the lineup is one of the more exciting developments of an otherwise rough season for the Ducks on the ice. Tonight will be his second game, fourth total, after missing the previous 30 with an undisclosed injury. In the Calgary loss, he did what he does best: skated with confidence, played with poise, and facilitated offense from the defensive zone. It produced minimal offense for the Ducks, but that doesn’t solely lie at his feet.
Expect more ice time for Drysdale as he gets eased back into NHL action. On the top defense pairing with Cam Fowler, he will be given ample opportunities to contribute offensively, and the Ducks will need him to do just that if they are going to produce enough goals to win games. There just hasn’t been enough offense produced by the blue line this season, but the more Drysdale is in the lineup, the more likely it is that offense from the defense will follow.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Strome
Ryan Strome started off the season red-hot but has gone ice-cold the last six weeks. After having 12 points in the first 12 games of the season, he has only six since mid-November. He came into the season as one of the guys that needed to rebound if the Ducks were going to improve upon last year. After offering some early-season hope, Strome has descended into average to below-average play at times. Perhaps the return of McTavish will be the jolt that he needs personally to get going again.
Kraken Player to Watch: Matty Beniers
The reigning Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, Matty Beniers has struggled this season. He currently sits at a minus-17, by far the worst on the Kraken roster, and has five goals and 16 points in 34 games. Not the sophomore campaign that the Kraken, or anyone in the hockey community, for that matter, was expecting. In fact, if we dare to compare his sophomore campaign to that of McTavish’s, then the latter is well ahead of the former.
Struggles aside, this is an effective and highly skilled player. He will burn the Ducks if they don’t check him and remain aware of his presence on the ice. He astonishingly hasn’t scored since Nov. 9, and has one point in his last six games, but taking your eye off him is probably what he is counting on. Let’s see how the Ducks handle Beniers tonight.
Keys to Victory
We know the path to victory for the Ducks, and it’s rather simple. If they don’t take penalties, their skill players show up, and their goaltender gives them a chance to win, then the Ducks can compete with anyone. We’ve seen it. The problem is, they rarely get that three-piece combination.
The Kraken are not the contending team that they were last season. They sit fifth in the Pacific Division and are struggling to stay afloat in a packed Western Conference. They are vulnerable on defense and in goal, which should give the Ducks scorers – Terry, McTavish, Vatrano, Killorn – more than enough chances to have a better game than they did the other night.
Prediction: Ducks Shake Off Flames Loss, Rebound with a Win Over Kraken
The Ducks have a winnable game in front of them. Their season so far is full of games they should have won but lost, and lost but should have won. They are in a real conundrum, and a matchup against a struggling team like the Kraken gives us a chance to see what kind of intestinal fortitude the Ducks have. Especially coming off such a poor performance.
I see the Ducks rebounding tonight. It’s their last game before Christmas and they’re at home. Perfect opportunity to put it all on the line for 60 minutes and earn some days off. Expect the Ducks to get the win.
How do you see the Ducks doing against the Kraken? Sound off in the comments below.
