Game #12: Ducks vs. Canucks Gameday Preview (10/27/26)

After returning from a four-game road trip, the Ducks are back home for a three-game homestand to close out October. They managed just one win on the road trip, a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 24.

“I think we were just not playing connected. 
That was the biggest thing I noticed,” Beckett Sennecke said. “But those stretches happen throughout a season and we’ve just got to get back (to it), get a win streak going.”

“We started off the stretch, that trip with a tough start there,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I thought the Rangers game was probably the one game where we looked like we're behind the whole game and we didn't really give ourselves any chance. I thought we fought back in the other games and were a part of it. I thought the response coming out of losing the first three on the trip and salvaging a win in Philly was huge for us. I thought we did much more things that give us a better chance in the game despite giving up those two quick power play goals there. We found a way to fight our way back in that game and got a win.

“And I think coming home here, I think the one thing we're gonna talk about here is we’ve gotta take care of business here. We’ve gotta have a better home record, and we’ve gotta be better here. I think one of our strengths of our team last year was the success we had here. Let’s take advantage of the crowd in the building.”

The first home game of three sets them up against the Vancouver Canucks, who are 2-10-1. The Canucks are currently on a 10-game losing streak and have not scored more than three goals in a game since the third game of the season.

Despite this poor run of form, the Canucks have fared quite well in recent seasons against the Ducks. They are 13-2 against them dating back to the 2022-23 season.

“Any team can beat any team in this league. It’s kind of how you prepare and we take every game the same way. At least that's what you try and do every game. It’s just like any other game here. We're not looking at where they are in the standings. 
It's still super early, too. Calgary lost their first six and they’re, I think, .500 (now). Stuff changes so much over the season.”

“We found out last year, I think they beat us 3 out of the 4 games,” Quenneville said. “So we’ve got respect (for them).”

The Ducks lost defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a lower-body injury during their recent road trip. He was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 23 with Travis Mitchell being recalled from AHL San Diego in a corresponding move. Mitchell drew into the lineup against the Flyers, logging just over 20 minutes of ice time along with an assist and a plus-1 rating.

“I just like his steadiness,” Quenneville said. “I think he adds a nice piece, real professional in the room. I think he brings us some added toughness. For a safe defenseman, he makes a lot of nice little plays and does the intangibles that add to your team. I think we got off to a nice start with him and it was nice to see him return.”

Quenneville was quick to shift around the lines throughout the road trip, but has retained the same lines from their win against the Flyers. Those lines feature rugged wingers Judd Caulfield and Jeff Malott in the top-6 to complement the likes of Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier.

“I played with Granny a lot last year, so I know what to expect with him,” Sennecke said. “Getting to play with Mallot, he’s good. He’s fast, forechecks hard, so he retrieves a lot of pucks in the o-zone, which is nice. Like playing with the puck in the o-zone.“

“I have to admit, we have been fluctuating with the lines and a lot of different looks and familiarity and thought processes and just looking for some continuity,” Quenneville said. “I guess when you don't win, you flip things around ‘till you find the right recipe. Tonight, we'll probably be going back to the same group here and hopefully, it works out, and we'll go from there. But certainly, there are some positives there. 
We have a little bit of everything on every line.”

A win against the Canucks would get the Ducks back to .500. It would also bring them within one point of a Wild Card spot.

Ducks Projected Lines

Cutter Gauthier - Leo Carlsson - Judd Caulfield
Jeff Malott - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko - Roger McQueen - Alex Killorn
A.J. Greer - Tim Washe - Sam Colangelo

Jackson LaCombe - Noah Warren
Tyson Hinds - Tristan Luneau
Travis Mitchell - Drew Helleson

Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)

Canucks Projected Lines

Jake DeBrusk - Elias Pettersson - Brock Boeser
Drew O'Connor - Filip Chytil - Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Paul Cotter - Max Sasson - Linus Karlsson
Arshdeep Bains - Marco Rossi - Liam Öhgren

Zeev Buium - Filip Hronek
Elias Pettersson - Tom Willander
Jamie Oleksiak - Victor Mancini

Kevin Lankinen (projected)