The Hockey News' Derek Lee previews the Ducks' matchup against the Seattle Kraken.
The Ducks take on the Seattle Kraken in their final game prior to the holiday break. This will be their second matchup of the season. The Kraken won the first one by a score of 3-1, in the season opener for both teams.
“We certainly liked the first start of that game,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I thought the last half, we lost what we started with. They check well, and I think that's the way they're looking to play here tonight. But after that (game), we got going and had some success finishing. We didn't finish very well in that game as well, but offensively, we're happy with where we're at (now). Defensively, let's be respectful for this team that plays a real patient game.”
“Extremely talented team,” Kraken head coach Lane Lambert said. “They’re third in the league in goals for behind Colorado and Dallas, so they can hurt you in a bunch of different ways. They've been building towards this over the years with solid draft choices. Haven’t made the playoffs for a while, and they're looking to change that fortune around. And I think that they just play fast. If I remember the first five minutes of the game we played them in Game 1, whether we were maybe nervous because it was Game 1 or whatever, they were on top of us pretty good. So, we've got to make sure we're prepared for that.”
Anaheim is coming off a 4-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, while the Kraken are coming off a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
"It was a great response (to the previous game)," Quenneville said postgame. "I thought the start was the response that we're hoping (for) and it played out well and put us in a real good spot."
Leo Carlsson will miss Monday’s game with a lower-body injury. Quenneville said that Carlsson is day-to-day and that they expect him to return for the first game after the holiday break, on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.
With Carlsson out, Mikael Granlund has been elevated to the top line and Jansen Harkins draws in for the first time since Dec. 3.
“They’re all chomping at the bit to get back in the lineup,” Quenneville said. “Nobody likes those extra skates after practices. Finally getting back in there, this all they're waiting for. They’re hungry and sometimes, it can be unpredictable how they they're gonna be ready. But, generally, they're so excited about playing (that) they're going to contribute with their enthusiasm. They’ll be noticed.”
“They've got some good forwards, they’ve got a good D core and they play hard,” Troy Terry said of the Kraken. “So, it's a team that if we don't show up with kind of a workman's-like mentality, they can kind of run you out of the building. So just making sure we know they're going to come, to work tonight. I think our team, when we're competing and winning battles, you can see it. That's usually when our skill can take over.”
The Kraken are currently dealing with a rash of injuries. Forwards Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann and Berkly Catton are all out for multiple weeks and defensemen Brandon Montour was placed on injured reserve on Monday after undergoing hand surgery. He will be out for the next four weeks.
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider - Mikael Granlund - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Frank Vatrano - Jansen Harkins - Ryan Strome
Ross Johnston - Ryan Poehling - Alex Killorn
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - Radko Gudas
Olen Zellweger - Ian Moore
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Kraken Projected Lines
Eeli Tolvanen - Chandler Stephenson - Frédérick Gaudreau
Kaapo Kakko - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle
Jani Nyman - Shane Wright - Ryan Winterton
Tye Kartye - Ben Meyers - Jacob Melanson
Vince Dunn - Adam Larsson
Ryan Lindgren - Jamie Oleksiak
Ryker Evans - Josh Mahura
Philipp Grubauer (projected)