Game 50: Anaheim At Los Angeles

Anaheim(14-28-7) at Los Angeles(18-22-6)

Pregame Show: DucksNPucks Podcast

TV: 7 PM PT/10 PM ET, Bally Sports West/KDOC

Radio: AM 1110

Anaheim Outlook

The Ducks square off with the Kings four times this week and tonight will be the second matchup. In the first game, Anaheim lost 4-1, but the game was closer than the final score. The Kings got out to a 2-0 lead and the Ducks were able to get one goal. The Ducks pulled their goalie late in the game to try to tie things up, but the Kings scored two empty net goals.

The question for the Ducks is do they play for pride or pick in these final two weeks. We discussed it here: Play for Pride or Pick?

Team News

David Backes was reassigned to the taxi squad. It appeared that he may have played his final game in Anaheim last Saturday. He waved to his family in the stands and was given some congratulatory hugs by teammates. He spoke to the media Sunday and it sounds like he will be retiring after this season.

Trevor Carrick was recalled to the taxi squad yesterday and Kodie Curran was reassigned to the Gulls.

Simon Benoit was added to the roster and will make his NHL debut tonight.

Andrew Agozzino and Lukas Dostal were recalled to the taxi squad.

Adam Henrique was added to the league COVID protocol list and did not play on Monday. He had a family member test positive for COVID.

Several Ducks players names were being discussed as possibly being moved by the trade deadline. The big name players remained and the Ducks ended up making two smaller trades. Ben Hutton was sent to Toronto and Jani Hakanpaa was traded to Carolina.

Here is a trade deadline recap: Ducks Make Two Trades; Big Names Remain

By The Numbers:

Max Comtois leads the team in scoring with 13 goals.

Goals For Per Game: 2.14, 31st in NHL
Goals Against Per Game: 3.22, 25th
Power Play Efficiency: 10.0%, 31st
Penalty Kill Efficiency: 80.0%, 13th
Corsi For: 48.41%, 20th
Fenwick For: 47.60%, 25th

Season Record vs Los Angeles: 2-3-0

Injury Updates

Andy Welinski was injured(lower body) early in the game on Monday and did not return. He is questionable for tonight.

Josh Manson(upper-body injury) did not play in the last two games, but come return tonight.

Jakob Silfverberg had hip surgery(torn labrum) and will be out for 4-6 months. According to GM Bob Murray, it had been an injury that was nagging him on and off for the last two years.

Sonny Milano(IR upper-body) has been practicing, but it’s unclear when he will return.

Hampus Lindholm(wrist) is on the LTIR with a fractured wrist and it appears he will be shut down for the season.

Carter Rowney had knee surgery and will be out for 4-6 months. He had a medial meniscus tear in his left knee. He was placed on the LTIR.

Taxi Squad:

Andrew Agozzino
David Backes
Trevor Carrick
Lukas Dostal

Projected Lineup

Offense:
Max Comtois – Trevor Zegras – Troy Terry
Alexander Volkov – Isac Lundestrom – Rickard Rakell
Max Jones – Sam Steel – Sam Carrick
Nicolas Deslauriers – Derek Grant – Ryan Getzlaf

Defense:
Cam Fowler – Jacob Larsson
Simon Benoit – Kevin Shattenkirk
Haydn Fleury – Jamie Drysdale

In Net:
John Gibson 8-17-6, 3.05 GAA , SV% .901 (Confirmed)

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Los Angeles Outlook

The Kings, like the Ducks, have had a rough season. LA has beaten Anaheim in the last couple of meetings and will host them for the last time tonight. These teams will meet again this weekend in Anaheim for the final two contests of the Freeway Face-Off.

By The Numbers:

Dustin Brown leads the team in scoring with 16 goals.

Goals For Per Game: 2.67, 20th in NHL
Goals Against Per Game: 2.96, 19th
Power Play Efficiency: 20.0%, 17th
Penalty Kill Efficiency: 84.0%, 5th
Corsi For: 49.01%, 16th 
Fenwick For: 49.32%, 17th

Season Record vs Anaheim: 3-1-1

Projected Lineup 

Offense
Alex Iafallo – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown
Adrian Kempe – Blake Lizotte – Trevor Moore
Austin Wagner – Gabriel Vilardi – Andreas Athanasiou
Brendan Lemieux – Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Defense
Tobias Bjornfot – Drew Doughty
Michael Anderson –  Matt Roy
Olli Maatta – Sean Walker
Kurtis MacDermid

In Net:
Calvin Peterson 8-13-4, GAA 2.74, SV% .917 (Confirmed)

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April 26th, 2021