3 Takeaways From Ducks’ 3-2 Loss to Stars

Coming into the game, a storyline for the Stars was the slow starts of their top players as Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, and Tyler Seguin had yet to record a point. They all got on the scoresheet in their 3-2 victory. Let’s look at some positive, negative, and neutral takeaways from the matchup.

Positive: Welcome to the Chat, Zegras and Terry

Fans didn’t have to wait long to catch some action as the Ducks were active early. Four-and-a-half minutes in, Trevor Zegras took a short feed from Pavel Mintyukov and fired a shot on net. Troy Terry was in the right place to bury the rebound, which he did, and gave the Ducks a quick 1-0 lead. The Ducks couldn’t have asked for a better start for the duo, who had gone without a point, other than an empty-net assist by Terry, through two games. Terry got the offensive sequence started with a strong entry. Also worth noting: Leo Carlsson, who centered this line, was likewise situated at the front of the net on Zegras’ point shot. Sound positioning by both Terry and Carlsson on the play. Adam Henrique sat this game due to illness. Lines are likely to be juggled at some point throughout an 82-game season, but one must start to wonder how long it will be before Carlsson between Zegras and Terry becomes a mainstay in the Anaheim lineup.

Terry also had the primary assist on Carlsson’s goal, the first of his career, on a perfect pass and execution of a two-on-one. Terry held onto the puck just long enough for Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger to lean and commit in his direction, before sliding it across to Carlsson who gathered and shot all in one motion to complete the play. Hopefully this is the first of many connections for these two.

Overall, the offense fared well. The Frank Vatrano-Mason McTavish-Ryan Strome line, previously the best one for the club so far, didn’t produce any points but did deliver their fair share of offense. Together, they had nine of the Ducks’ 29 shots on goal. They are putting the puck on net whenever possible, and it’s an encouraging sign.

Negative: Ducks Get Burned by Penalties in the Second Period

Playing shorthanded is tough. Especially when you have a loaded team like Dallas on the other side. You’re not going to kill every power play, and that’s fine. But the Ducks took three minor penalties in the second period, and got scored on twice. To make things worse, one of those penalties negated a power play chance of their own. Hintz gashed the Ducks down the middle for a mini-breakaway goal, while Joe Pavelski scored on a high-tip via a shot-pass from Heiskanen. Pavelski was left unbothered in the high slot for far too long; ideally, you want someone controlling his stick and positioning on that play.

Losing the special teams battle is bogging this team down early. There’s less time for head coach Greg Cronin to roll his lines five-on-five, and less time for particular players that don’t play either the power play or penalty kill. To date, the Ducks still have not scored a power play goal. They’ll look to turn that around as soon as possible.

Neutral: Rookies and NHL Debuts Galore

Tristan Luneau drew into the lineup for his NHL debut in the absence of Jamie Drysdale. He slotted right into Drysdale’s usual spot on the top pairing with Cam Fowler. Cronin paired a veteran with each of the rookie defensemen: Radko Gudas played with Jackson LaCombe, while Ilya Lybushkin played with Pavel Mintyukov. On a night where defensive shifts were spread pretty evenly, Luneau finished with 15:59 in ice time, had one shot on goal, blocked one shot, and finished even in plus/minus. Overall, he was fine. He’s also 19. Let’s keep that in mind. Mintyukov would net his first career assist on the Ducks’ first goal.

Carlsson, the other Duck making his debut, had a night to remember. On his left and right were two dynamic offensive forces, who he clicked with right away. The line was responsible for both Duck goals. Carlsson played 21 shifts, tied for fifth amongst Ducks forwards, and earned another opportunity to center the top line next game.

Some Interesting Stats From the Game

Encouraging Signs Heading Into Week Two of the Campaign

Facing a murderer’s row of Stanley Cup contenders in the first week of the season is a tough way to begin the campaign. The Ducks fought hard against the Stars, outhitting and outshooting them, and trading chances throughout. Ultimately, their two defeats came down to the special teams loss. There’s time to improve this, though.

Next up is the Arizona Coyotes. While they’re not a Stanley Cup contender, they recently stomped the Ducks in the preseason finale. This should give the Ducks an extra bit of juice heading into this Saturday’s clash. It should be a fun match between two young, talented rosters. Stay tuned for a preview in the next few days.