After closing out their homestand with a comeback win, the Ducks will dance a Central Division two-step as they dip out to Dallas to face the Stars on Monday before heading to Chicago for Tuesday’s clash with the Blackhawks.
They shuffled lines in-game against the Detroit Red Wings during a 6-4 win on Friday and could mix up their combos again this week, still looking for the right blend and more success in the faceoff circle, where they rank dead last in overall percentage and offensive-zone win rate.
Yet other areas showed encouraging signs against Detroit and for much of the season-long stretch at home, despite winning just two of six games. Friday’s was the Ducks’ highest-scoring display of the season, keyed by the rangy and zestful performance of Olen Zellweger (one goal, two assists). Troy Terry asserted himself once again (one goal) and Cutter Gauthier notched his first career goal.
Gauthier had been part of the top line on the flank of Leo Carlsson (two assists Friday) but found himself moved through the lineup, including all the way down to the fourth line opposite enforcer Ross Johnston. Gauthier, who led the Ducks in shots on goal during the early going, said the move to the fourth line untangled his approach by taking him away from the chef’s omakase-style playmaking of Carlsson and plopping him on the fourth line’s hearty plate of meat and potatoes.
His first goal electrified the Ducks’ bench and rewarded him for “pounding pucks,” as Coach Greg Cronin said.
“To his credit, he’d been moved down in the lineup to try and simplify his game, get a little bit more fourth-line habits and a checking commitment,” Cronin said.
“The whole time he’s been doing this, he’s been positive, supporting his teammates, no sulking, practicing hard,” Cronin added. “I love talking about stories like that because they’re a reflection of the culture we’re trying to create here.”
The Ducks’ power play also cashed in twice –– though their penalty kill surrendered three goals to Detroit –– success owed in significant part to the man-advantage “mad scientist,” Rich Clune, Cronin said. Clune is in his first year as an NHL assistant coach and has made some discoveries already.
To start the campaign, the Ducks power play wasn’t exactly high voltage as they were the second-to-last team to score a power-play goal. Since they connected twice in a win over San Jose on Oct. 22, the Ducks have scored on over 21% of their opportunities, putting them squarely in the middle of the NHL pack during that span.
“We’re just getting a little more confident. We’re moving the puck well and passing with some authority. I also thought the retrievals were really strong,” Zellweger said. “I still think we’ve got a lot of work [to do] and a lot of potential left on that power play, for sure.”
The Ducks hope to carry offensive momentum into a meeting with the Stars, who swept the season series with the Ducks last season, yielding only a point for an overtime loss. They’ll have to do so without Mason McTavish, who last played Nov. 8 versus Minnesota. His status was downgraded from “day-to-day” as he was placed on injured reserve Sunday. The Ducks recalled forward Sam Colangelo in his stead and called up defenseman Tyson Hinds as well.
Dallas has won three straight games and four of five since returning from its trip to Finland for a Global Series sweep at the hands of the Florida Panthers. A 2-1 win over Minnesota was a modest follow-up to consecutive seven-goal games, which included 12 combined points by leading scorers Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment.
Conversely, Chicago has dropped four of its past five decisions and scored just four goals in those defeats, though they did beat the Ducks 4-2 on Nov. 3 at Honda Center after taking two of three confrontations last season. Connor Bedard, taken first overall in front of Carlsson in 2023, paces Chicago in scoring.