Patrick Present gives brief thoughts on the Ducks' win over Tampa Bay The Anaheim Ducks returned home after a brief two-game road trip to host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday evening. Game #39: Ducks vs. Lightning Gameday Preview [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/ducks-gameday-preview-01-05-25] Hours before the game, the team announced they'd re-signed Frank Vatrano to a three-year contract extension. Vatrano celebrated by scoring two goals and notching an assist. "We know we can play with the best of them," Vatrano said after the game. "We've just got to make sure that we're playing the right way every single night." The Ducks entered play having won three of their last four games, all against Stanley Cup contenders, and set to face another in Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay was on their second leg of a back-to-back and looking to snap a three-game losing streak. Nikita Nesterenko represented the only lineup change from the Ducks' 3-2 loss to the Oilers on Friday. He came in for Ross Johnston. Johnston and Pavel Mintyukov were the Ducks' scratches in this game. John Gibson got the start for the Ducks, stopping 36 of 37 shots and saving 2.42 goals above expected [https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20242025&game=20636&view=limited]. "We're just trying to string them together," Gibson said after the game. "I think there's confidence in the group and chemistry with the lines and the d-pairs. We're all connected and playing well" For the Lightning, Jonas Johansson got the nod and stopped 22 of 25 shots. Here are my takeaways from this game: Rush Offense: Early in the game, there was an added importance placed on killing plays before the defensive blueline with a high-pressure neutral zone forecheck. As the game progressed, those opportunities dried up only to return when Tampa Bay took some chances with their pinches, and the Ducks were able to chip around their aggressiveness, leading to odd-man rushes. There are signs of a team looking to manufacture more transition chances, but not enough to declare them fully committed to viewing it as a primary means of generating offense. John Gibson: Gibson, unlike Lukas Dostal, has trouble tracking pucks laterally around screens, as demonstrated by Tampa's lone goal in this game. Where he thrives is in his game management skill, freezing pucks when needed or deflecting them to safety when he feels his defenders are under duress. He also has the underrated ability of not letting in many goals through his body. He's always quick to get his arms locked to his torso, not allowing pucks to squeak through. Defensive Zone Coverage: The Ducks were a little more casual in their defensive coverage, allowing more space between their assignment and themselves. It didn't lead to many east-west seams, but players were able to find soft ice off them and get shots released they normally wouldn't have been able to. Drew Helleson: This was an up-and-down game for Helleson, especially in the defensive zone. He struggled to connect with outlets or keep pucks moving up ice, leading to extended zone time for Tampa Bay. He was effective in the neutral zone and did his part to kill plays early. His struggles occurred mostly below the goal line. The Ducks will stay home for one more game on Tuesday when they host the Calgary Flames before heading out on a five-game road trip. Ducks' GM Speaks Following Vatrano Contract Extension [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-gm-speaks-following-vatrano-contract-extension] Frank Vatrano signs three-year extension with Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/frank-vatrano-signs-three-year-extension-with-ducks]
