Ducks split back-to-back road games, clinching a strong win against the Rangers but falling in overtime to the struggling Blue Jackets.
The Anaheim Ducks wrapped up their five-game road trip to the East Coast with a back-to-back set against the New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday and Tuesday.
They entered Monday having lost their previous two (against the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders), and sitting in second place in the Pacific Division with 39 points in 32 games.
On Monday, the Rangers were coming off a 5-4 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens, but they haven’t registered a regulation win since Dec. 4, going 1-1-2 in their previous four. The Blue Jackets were a hungry team, as they came into Tuesday’s game at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings (13-13-6), had lost their previous four games, and had gone winless in their last five.
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Takeaways from the Ducks 4-1 Loss to the Devils
The Ducks iced the same lineup to start each game. This is how the lines and pairs shook out:
Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Kreider-McTavish-Sennecke
Vatrano-Granlund-Terry
Johnston-Poehling-Strome
LaCombe-Trouba
Zellweger-Moore
Mintyukov-Gudas
Drew Helleson served as a healthy scratch in these two games, missing his first action of the season. Lukas Dostal got the start in net against the Rangers, where he started his second game since returning from an upper-body injury. He saved 26 of 27 shots. Ville Husso got the nod against Columbus and stopped 24 of 28.
Game Notes
For a team that averages 2.20 expected goals and 2.33 expected goals against per game at 5v5, these two games were relatively low-event contests. They generated 1.35 expected goals at 5v5 against the Rangers while allowing 1.91 expected goals. Against Columbus, they accounted for 1.77 expected goals, allowing 1.68 at 5v5.
The Ducks were much stingier in the high-danger areas of the ice in these two games, but in doing so, some of their offensive chances may have been limited as they weren’t as aggressive to challenge or support along the perimeter. Defensemen have also been more cautious in their selections for when to join rushes, careful not to leave opposing forwards behind them when puck possession is still up for grabs.
Forecheck: The forecheck created much more pressure in these games than it had in the previous handful. Teams are now actively attempting to eliminate or limit the Ducks' rush ability, so adjustments are made to become more multi-dimensional offensively, and part of that comes with creating chances on the forecheck. To set the table, the Ducks’ F1 was far more active, and if they couldn’t disrupt an opposing outlet, they slowed and influenced them enough so the secondary waves could prevent clean exits. It created more cohesion, as F2 was then able to eliminate first options, while the defensemen were able to jump in front of assignments and either break up a first pass or regain possession entirely.
F3: F3 is the unheralded key to any effective forecheck. They are typically the ones who, if they’re in the proper position, give the green light to defensemen to pinch down the wall, as F3 will provide cover and insurance. For how impactful the forecheck was as a whole in these two games, F3 made some questionable decisions at times around the offensive blueline that led to a few odd-man attempts the other way against Columbus.
Ideally, on the forecheck, a defenseman will pinch and cause a battle along the halfwall in the offensive zone. If F3 is impatient and/or improperly reads backtracking forwards, and unsuccessfully tries to pounce on a loose puck, it often leads to easy 2v1 or 3v1s, as was the case on the Jackets’ second goal and multiple other occasions.
Zellweger-Moore: The Ducks’ new young pairing only played 20:39 TOI together in these two games, but they displayed the makings of a dynamic 200-foot defensive duo. The underlying numbers weren’t spectacular, as they won the shots on goal battle 7-5 and the shot attempt battle 19-17, but lost the expected goals battle .637-.767.
However, the visuals and impact plays were captivating. Ian Moore was able to instinctively read when and how Olen Zellweger wanted to pinch and contribute offensively, always aware of how to cover and protect the middle. For how inexperienced he is at the NHL level, Moore shows elite rush defending habits, properly reads his backcheckers, and makes heady decisions at critical times when defending those instances.
He was stifling in front of his net and boosted that area of the penalty kill against the Rangers, where he received 1:48 TOI shorthanded. If kept together, Zellweger will likely gain more confidence and understanding when to join offensively so that he can reach his ceiling on that side of the ice as well.
Cycle: As mentioned, the Ducks have had to adjust their offensive approach so as not to be quite as reliant on the rush. Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, specifically as players who will be counted on to generate a high percentage of the Ducks’ offense for the foreseeable future, have already vastly improved that area of their games. Both are reading off-puck to get to loose puck battles first, and once there, are more adept at scanning, assessing, and stickhandling in tight spaces to create space for themselves. The next step for them will be to manufacture high-danger chances with the afforded space and find seams throughout the zone.
Mikael Granlund: Granlund has been able to elevate the offense from the bottom six in these two games, placed on a line with Troy Terry and Frank Vatrano. Granlund is crafty in tight spaces and can hit teammates with clever slip or seam passes with a unique vision from those spots on the ice. He draws pressure and can evade it with good edges, drawing more attention, and can connect with Terry, who then has more space to operate and do what he does best to generate shots. They still have aspects to iron out in their end, but Granlund’s line balances the overall attack.
Ryan Poehling: From a fourth-line role, Poehling tallied four assists in these two games and five in his last four. Speed and defensive output are what he’s on the ice to provide, but he’s beginning to recognize when and how he can impact games on the offensive side of the puck as well.
His closing speed puts pressure on puck carriers, which he translates to pushing defenders back when moving pucks up ice. He is fearless driving the net and can get inside position on rush defenders, burning wide and lowering his inside shoulder. If his performances continue, the Ducks have the potential to roll three lines that can score at any moment.
The Ducks will return home on Friday to host the Dallas Stars, starting a three-game homestand.
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