Ducks vs Kings RECAP: This Game Was Offensive
The Ducks returned to action after ending their nine-game losing streak on Saturday night against the Colorado Avalanche with a 5-4 OT win. This was only the second time out of eight that the Ducks faced the Los Angeles Kings.
This game had goals. Lots and lots of goals. The Ducks would just escape with a 6-5 OT win on a beauty of an assist from Zegras to Henrique, but whew, we’ve got work to do with this defense.
1st Period
The first period started with LA having a couple of good shifts off some mishandled pucks by Anaheim, but Kevin Shattenkirk said “Mmmmm nah” and put a hell of a move on Adrian Kempe and buried a shot to give Anaheim the lead just under three minutes into the game. 1-0 Anaheim on their first shot on goal in the game.
The first penalty of the game would go against Anaheim, as Trevor Zegras would take his first NHL minor penalty and send LA to the power play. Clearly and obviously the worst officiating we’ve seen in a game this season because Trevor Zegras is perfect and does nothing wrong ever.
LA got the equalizer via Adrian Kempe right as the penalty expired to make the game 1-1. Jacob Larsson was way out of position and couldn’t get back to defend against the player in the most dangerous position on the ice. Drink.
With 3:14 left in the opening frame, a good shift from the Rakell-Getzlaf-Comtois line would lead to Rakell giving the Ducks the lead back and staying absolutely red hot. 2-1 Anaheim.
The Ducks continued to pile on some pressure after retaking the lead and forced Cal Petersen to make a few more uncomfortable-looking saves.
With just 5.3 seconds left in the period, Isac Lundestrom was called for holding to give LA their second power play of the night. The end of the period had Anaheim leading 2-1, and with Ryan Getzlaf having some frustrated words with the referee about the Lundestrom penalty.
2nd Period
The Kings opened the 2nd period with a power-play goal from Dustin Brown, after a pass from Kopitar got through three of the four Ducks on the ice harmlessly and to a wide-open Fall Down Dustin Brown in front of the net. 2-2 and the PK remains on the struggle bus.
After a whole lotta not great shifts from Anaheim and a whole lotta John Gibson bailing them from falling behind, the Ducks retake the lead once again from……Ben Hutton? Yep. Ben Hutton. 3-2 Anaheim.
Adrian Kempe took a penalty shortly after for tripping Nic Deslauriers to send the Ducks to their first power play of the game, hoping to double their lead. The Ducks power play had a few good looks but unfortunately couldn’t get one past Petersen and the score remained 3-2.
Josh Manson would be called for holding after tackling Andreas Athanasiou because he blew by Manson with the puck like he was standing still. Not ideal and LA back to the power play once again to test a struggling Ducks PK.
BUT THE STRUGGLING PK DELIVERS THEIR FIRST SHORTY OF THE SEASON! Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg were able to break a 2-on-1 and a perfect pass from Henrique led to a perfect backhand shot from Silfverberg and the Ducks lead 4-2!
Aaaaaaand another penalty against the Ducks. High sticking against Nic Deslauriers. Sigh.
Kempe scores almost immediately. 4-3. Stop taking penalties, please.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! RAKELL WITH AN ABSOLUTELY NASTY BACKHANDER AND THE LEAD IS TWO AGAIN! 5-3 ANAHEIM!
The second period came to an end after a whole hell of a lot of goals and a lot of me using caps lock. 5-3 Anaheim, but luckily, the Ducks are experts are protecting multi-goal leads this season.
3rd Period
After what was nearly Trevor Zegras’ first NHL goal on a great save by Petersen very early in the period, Andreas Athanasiou made a great move to get around Shattenkirk and Gibson to pull the Kings back within one. 5-4.
The middle part of the period saw the Kings continuing to mount pressure against the Anaheim defense, and any opportunity in the Kings zone was a “one and done” kind of shot with the Kings bringing it right back down the ice. I shouldn’t be surprised anymore that this is how the Ducks try to defend a lead, but here we are.
Ummmmmmmmmm. John Gibson is down in a heap after a collision with Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty just shoots into the empty net. Refs review and immediately wave off the goal. God, Dustin Brown is the worst.
The Kings would eventually tie the game with 2:32 left in regulation on a great screen and redirect in front of John Gibson by Adrian Kempe for his hat trick. 5-5. Sigh again.
Time for OT.
Overtime
A slow, calculated approach for the first couple minutes of overtime. Kings had the only really dangerous look in the first few minutes, a quick shot from Trevor Moore that almost beat Gibson, but just didn’t squeak by.
TREVOR ZEGRAS WITH A PERFECT PASS TO ADAM HENRIQUE AND THE DUCKS WIN 6-5! THE GOLDEN BOY HAS ARRIVED!
Final Thoughts
The offense is no longer a concern for these Ducks at the moment. Consecutive games of 5-plus goals, plus the plethora of goals they saw in a few of the losses during their losing streak and I’d say the issue now is the defense. Goaltending hasn’t been its normal stellar standard, no doubt, but the Ducks are also back to allowing high danger chances from the toughest areas on the ice regularly. Gotta clean that up and give your goaltenders a chance to get their confidence flowing.
This Ducks team can be good. We’ve seen good offense, good defense, and the best goaltending in the league. Just need all the pieces to come together at the same time.
3 Stars
1. Rickard Rakell
2. Jakob Silfverberg
3. Trevor Zegras
Up Next
The Ducks will be back in action against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.