The Anaheim Ducks continued their five-game homestand by hosting the New York Rangers on Friday evening at Honda Center. The Ducks were coming off of potentially their most complete performance of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday with a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins and looking to return to the .500 mark for the first time since March 9.
The Rangers entered having lost four of their last five and just a point out of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Ducks head coach Greg Cronin went with an identical lineup to the one that earned his club their last victory against Boston.
Lukas Dostal got the start between the pipes for the Ducks and saved 26 of 30 shots.
Dostal was opposed by Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 28 of 33 shots.
Jacob Trouba left the game with 14:44 remaining in the third period after crashing into the end boards following a rush chance. He didn’t return, and Cronin didn’t have an update on his status after the game.
“We had lost Trouba, so we were down one of our primary (penalty) killers,” Cronin said after the game. “We did a good job managing the personnel and, again, we got a shorthanded goal for the second night in a row. So, a lot of positive things with the special teams.”
Here are my notes from this game:
Leo Carlsson-Carlsson has fully arrived. He’s dictating games like his skillset and potential suggested when he was drafted second overall at the 2023 NHL Draft, and he’s doing it on both sides of the puck. He’s translating his anticipation skills and diligent scanning ability into manufacturing offense from up to 200 feet from the opposing net.
“His goal, he just ripped through the middle and snapped it right from 35 feet,” Cronin said. “When he’s not carrying the puck, he’s driving the inside ice as well, which is giving him puck recoveries in the offensive zone.”
There are still areas of his game that will need some refinement. He could still win a higher percentage of board battles, which should come with experience and further physical growth. The key to unlocking the power play unit he’s on will be finding ways to get the puck on his stick and, in doing so, draw defenders out of position. He’s far too dynamic to simply maintain a stationary position in the bumper.
Radko Gudas-This wasn’t one of Gudas’ better performances on the blueline for the Ducks. The underlying numbers suggest he had a positive impact (51.88 xGF%) and 5:24 of his 20:44 TOI was spent on the penalty kill, a kill that stifled six of seven chances from New York.
He continues to take himself out of plays in attempts to make big hits in open ice. New York’s second goal was a result of improperly reading his backcheckers and overcommitting to the forward driving the middle lane.
His late penalty nearly proved costly. However, he did well to jump out of the box and drive to the net after entry, collapsing the defensive structure and opening a lane that was exploited by Pavel Mintyukov, who found a trailing Olen Zellweger for the game-tying goal.
Cutter Gauthier-Gauthier has been the Ducks’ most improved player since the start of the season. He’s taken the time and has been afforded the opportunity to refine and learn the details it will take to bring success upon himself at the NHL level.
He’s seeking out shooting lanes and adjusting his angles in order to get enough space for his elite release. He’s recognizing and anticipating when to get his feet moving through neutral with and without the puck to optimize his speed and dangerously enter the offensive zone.
The Ducks will return to Honda Center on Sunday to take on the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs at 5 pm PST.
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