Detailed notes on the Ducks 2024-25 pre-season opening game
The Anaheim Ducks traveled to San Jose on Tuesday evening to take on the Sharks in their first pre-season game of the 2024-25 season.
The Ducks sent a team consisting of three NHL regulars from the 2023-24 iteration of the team.
The Sharks jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Ducks answered with four straight goals. San Jose potted a power play goal late in the second period to bring the score to 4-3, where it would remain until the final buzzer.
Calle Clang got the start in net, but the decision was made before Tuesday to split the game between Clang and Oskar Dansk. Clang stopped 19 of 21 shots, while Dansk stopped nine of ten.
Each team left plenty to be desired in the penalty kill department as the Ducks went two for four on the power play, and San Jose went two for six.
While the game had some aspects to build upon, systems and chemistry have yet to be ingrained in the players, making for sloppy hockey at times. That said, here are my notes from this game:
Puck Retrievals: Anaheim's defensive unit was effective getting to dumped pucks first and absorbing forechecks. They remained calm under pressure before making simple plays to outlets up the wall. San Jose wasn't able to generate many, if any, chances from pressure.
Katchouk/Harkins/Meyer: On the opposite side of the rink, the Ducks listed second line in this game displayed all the tendencies of a traditional, effective, modern checking line in the NHL. They pressured opposing defenders heavily deep in the offensive zone and sealed outlet options, effectively hemming them in for extended periods.
Rush Defense: Defending the rush was an issue for Anaheim in 2023-24. They would tend to backcheck well to get into position but were unable to consistently eliminate seam passes and dangerous opportunities. That trend continued a bit in this game, leading to two notable scoring chances for San Jose.
Rodwin Dionicio: Dionicio became more comfortable as the game went along. He is consistently looking to push the pace and make the most dangerous play he can at any given time. He manipulated defenders at the offensive blueline and translated his creativity against tougher competition in this game. He still has some refinement to do with gaps and angles, but his offensive tools could be special.
Brett Leason: Leason played one game at center in the last six years, in the Ducks season finale for the 2023-24 season. He fit like a glove in that spot in this game. He supported properly on breakouts and was effective while defending low in the defensive zone. His speed and power through the middle instead of along the wall and on the forecheck created some high-quality looks, including a goal. This may be a worthwhile experiment to see through further.
The Ducks' next pre-season game will be against the Sharks in Anaheim on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7 pm PST.