Detailed notes on Wednesday's game between the Anaheim Ducks and Utah Hockey Club
On Wednesday, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Utah Hockey Club for the first time in NHL history for the Ducks home opener for the 2024-25 season at Honda Center.
Game #3: Ducks vs. Utah Gameday Preview
"The fans were awesome," Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said after the game."The balcony is steep (at Honda Center), so the crowd really creates a lot of noise going down toward the ice. You can feel it on the bench, and I think (the fans) were a big catalyst behind our comeback."
Jackson LaCombe remained out of the lineup for the third game in a row to start the season with an illness. Fellow sophomore defenseman Olen Zellweger got the start on the blueline in his place.
Zellweger saw his most action of the early season, playing a total of 19:25, including 4:55 on the power play.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qorbZS2CvDI[/embed]
Lukas Dostal was given the nod between the pipes for the Ducks for his second start of the season following a 2-0 shutout victory against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Dostal stopped 26 of 30 shots in this one and allowed 1.8 goals above expected, though he didn't stand much of a chance of stopping any of the four allowed.
Opposing Dostal for Utah was Connor Ingram, who came into this game with a career .948 SV% against the Ducks in three games but surrendered five goals on 34 shots.
Cutter Gauthier played 12:49 in this game but only saw two shifts in the final half of the game.
"He was struggling a bit," Cronin said after the game. "He's a 20-year-old kid, and it's his (fourth) game in the league. As a coach, you try and change a little bit of the chemistry."
Here are my notes from this game:
Pavel Mintyukov: Mintyukov and Dumoulin have become the Ducks' number-one defensive pair early in the season. Mintyukov led the way for Anaheim, playing 21:55 in this game.
His defensive acumen may get overshadowed by his offensive contributions, but should certainly be spotlighted. Offensively, he times when to activate most effectively and instinctually knows how long he can remain involved in the cycle before retreating to the blueline.
Penalty Kill: The diamond formation the Ducks are deploying this season is structured around keeping passes and shots to the perimeter. The key lies when the puck goes high to low how quick the high defenseman can recover to aid around the net front.
Puck Management: Utah thrives off forcing opponents into poor decisions and turnovers. With a heavy forecheck, a mandate on protecting the inner slot, and active sticks high in the defensive zone, they disrupt plays and quickly get up ice on counterattacks. Puck management against teams like Utah will be paramount in every zone on the ice.
Defensive Zone Coverage: The tweaks the coaching staff made and further understanding from players have limited seams and chances generated off the cycle. Zellweger, in particular, has progressed significantly in that department, remaining on his assignment and maintaining position.
Zegras and McTavish still have some aspects to iron out when they're the low forward in the zone. The effort remains, but they can drift too far from their check at times, allowing just enough space for plays to develop.
The Ducks will travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche on Friday at 6 pm PST.