The Anaheim Ducks hosted the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night at Honda Center, the Ducks’ fifth game of a six-game home stand.
On Tuesday, the Ducks announced Cam Fowler and Robby Fabbri would be placed on Injury Reserve and James Reimer would be placed on waivers.
On Wednesday, the Ducks recalled forward Jansen Harkins and defenseman Drew Helleson from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.
Ducks head coach Greg Cronin was forced to shuffle forward lines a bit for this game.
Harkins drew in for his second game with the Ducks this season, centering the fourth line between Cutter Gauthier and Ross Johnston.
Cronin went with the same defensive pairs from Sunday’s game against Columbus, so Helleson was a healthy scratch.
Lukas Dostal got the start in the net for the Ducks and stopped 36 of the 39 shots he faced. He didn’t stand much of an opportunity to save any of the three he allowed, as they all came off critical mistakes made by a player or two in front of him.
Vegas gave Adin Hill the nod in this game, where he stopped 22 of 24 shots.
Here are my takeaways from this game:
Penalty Kill: The Ducks’ PK was noticeably more aggressive in the defensive zone in this game, challenging heavier when the puck was along the wall or at the point.
Vegas was able to exploit this and outnumber Brian Dumoulin down low on a rebound, leading to their second goal of the contest.
Brian Dumoulin: Dumoulin doesn’t get enough praise for how consistent he is at killing plays in every zone without risking an odd-man rush the other way.
He times his pinches perfectly, and his gaps are as textbook as they come. He plays a simple game and remains a perfect partner for Pavel Mintyukov to learn from and grow next to.
VGK’s Counterattack: The Golden Knights are one of the most well-coached and cohesive teams in the NHL. They recognize when their opponent has three forwards low, and when they’re able to get sticks on pucks in those situations, they know where their outlets are to start a break the other way.
Power Play: The power play continues to add layers and experiment with new looks. Carlsson is free to roam to either flank or to the bumper in search of optimal soft ice to receive passes.
The key aspect the top power play unit (Carlsson’s unit) is lacking is a true net-front presence. Troy Terry controls play from the goal line but struggles to read when shots are coming from the perimeter and ensure he provides a screen or can find a loose puck off a rebound.
Radko Gudas: Gudas’ inability to connect on first passes out of the defensive zone has led to extended time and opportunities for opponents increasingly often of late.
He has been one or two reads too late when defending a rush or reading an opposing forecheck.
The Ducks will wrap up their season-long six-game home stand on Friday when they’ll host the Detroit Red Wings at 7 pm PST.
