With their last game before the holiday break, the Anaheim Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks] hosted the Seattle Kraken [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/seattle-kraken] on Monday night at Honda Center. The Ducks were coming off a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets] on Saturday and entered the game atop the Pacific Division standings, with a two-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights], but having played two more games. Ryan Poehling Starting to Find Offensive Impact to Pair with Defensive Prowess [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/ryan-poehling-starting-to-find-offensive-impact-to-pair-with-defensive-prowess] Game #37: Ducks vs. Kraken Gameday Preview (12/22/25) [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/game-37-ducks-vs-kraken-gameday-preview-12-22-25] Seattle came in fresh off snapping a four-game losing streak, but had lost nine of their last 11 games in regulation. Some lineup adjustments had to be made on Anaheim’s side in this game, as star center Leo Carlsson missed this one and is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He is expected to return for the Ducks' next game following the holiday break. Here’s how the Ducks lined up in this game: Kreider-Granlund-Terry Gauthier-McTavish-Sennecke Vatrano-Harkins-Strome Johnston-Poehling-Killorn LaCombe-Trouba Mintyukov-Gudas Zellweger-Moore Lukas Dostal got the start in net for the Ducks and saved 18 of 20 shots. He was opposed by Philipp Grubauer in Seattle’s crease, who had an impressive outing, stopping 40 of 41 shots in this one. GAME NOTES (Author’s personal note) I grew up playing for and later coaching alongside a coach who used to say, “There are only two acceptable losses in hockey: 1. Losing to a better team and 2. Losing to a goaltender standing on their head.” This was an acceptable loss, and the Kraken were not better than the Ducks tonight. After a relatively sleepy first period, the Ducks controlled play and got the majority of the chances in this game, generating off the rush, forecheck, and cycle alike. Overall, at 5v5 [https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20252026&game=20573], they held a 32-15 shots on goal advantage, a 59-33 shot attempt advantage, and accounted for 69.51% (3.16-1.39) of the expected goal share. Defensive Zone Coverage/Breakouts: The Ducks played much more cohesively and alertly in their end, defending as a five-man unit, which led to cleaner, more connected breakout sequences. At 5v5, the net front was patrolled more astutely than in the recent past, an encouraging sign that the team is capable of locking down their zone and quickly killing plays. Power Play: The power play, as did every other facet of the Ducks’ game, missed the firepower of Leo Carlsson. However, they were able to sustain pressure, win loose puck battles, and get several shots off. Entries are still leaving something to be desired, and the truly dangerous seam and small area (around the crease) execution remains lacking. Mikael Granlund, while an excellent distributor from the right flank, might be better utilized in the bumper, where he has a sense of how to properly support pucks on the flank and can read where soft ice is going to open up for him to present himself as a passing option. Mikael Granlund: Granlund has impressed of late, even if one were to ignore his current four-game goal streak. He creates endless chances for himself and teammates with subtle, detailed plays in all three zones. On his line with Troy Terry and Chris Kreider today, they afforded him a lot of puck touches given the attention they command, and he’s able to build clever plays with sneaky slip passes and manipulative, evasive skating and puck protection. Pavel Mintyukov: Mintyukov was the standout from a defensive perspective for Anaheim in this game. His active stick and anticipation skills broke up countless rush and cycle attempts. He’s noticeably learning from areas of weakness that led to mistakes in recent memory, and is able to recognize and recover when plays are breaking down or developing around him. He’s involving himself offensively and is decisively joining rushes and cycles low in the offensive zone, forcing opposing defenses to adjust. Rush Offense: The Ducks saw the return of their biggest offensive weapon in this game: their rush offense. Early in the contest, when rushes progressed below the faceoff dots and when they didn’t have numbers, they fed the inner slot regardless, with the knowledge they had streaking teammates heading for the crease. As the game continued, Seattle was forced to adjust, which in turn opened up east-west passing lanes and shooting lanes, driving defensemen on their heels. Rushes were built through smart retrieval efforts in the D zone, effective slip passes to supporting teammates with speed, and (for the most part) good puck management at the offensive blueline. There was plenty in this game to be encouraged by moving forward for Anaheim, with some areas (special teams) still in need of attention. The Ducks will have four days off before heading North to take on the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/takeaways-from-the-ducks-4-3-win-over-the-blue-jackets] Takeaways from the Ducks 8-3 Loss to the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/takeaways-from-the-ducks-8-3-loss-to-the-dallas-stars] Takeaways from the Ducks 4-1 Win over the Rangers, 4-3 OT Loss to the Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/takeaways-from-the-ducks-4-1-win-over-the-rangers-4-3-ot-loss-to-the-blue-jackets]
