Ducks Fall Flat in Vancouver as Injuries, Lineup Decisions Take a Toll
Closing out a pivotal five-game road trip before the NHL’s Olympic break, the Anaheim Ducks headed to Vancouver on Thursday night looking to bounce back from a tough 7-4 loss in Edmonton. The mission was clear: grab two points against a Canucks team stuck in a brutal stretch and sitting dead last in the league standings.
But what unfolded was a frustrating reminder that even the most winnable games can slip away when execution falters and the lineup doesn’t quite click.
Missed Opportunity Against a Struggling Opponent
This was a game the Ducks needed. Vancouver came in reeling-losers of three straight and with just one win in their last 15 games.
Their injury list reads like a who's who of their key contributors: Brock Boeser, Zeev Buium, Derek Forbort, Thatcher Demko, and Marco Rossi were all out. The door was wide open for Anaheim to capitalize.
The Ducks, meanwhile, were hoping to get Troy Terry back in the lineup after he traveled with the team and practiced on Wednesday. But he was ruled out for an 11th straight game, and the only change head coach Joel Quenneville made was scratching Ryan Strome in favor of rookie Sam Colangelo. Colangelo slotted into the second line alongside Jansen Harkins and Chris Kreider.
Here’s how the Ducks lined up:
- Killorn - Granlund - Sennecke
- Kreider - Harkins - Colangelo
- Viel - Poehling - Gauthier
- Johnston - Washe - Moore
On defense:
- LaCombe - Trouba
- Mintyukov - Helleson
- Zellweger - Gudas
In goal, Lukas Dostal did his part, stopping 24 of 25 shots. On the other side, Nikita Tolopilo was the story.
He turned away all 32 shots he faced, even after briefly exiting for a medical evaluation. Kevin Lankinen stepped in for just over two minutes and stopped the only shot that came his way.
Ducks Dominate the Numbers, But Not the Scoreboard
Statistically, Anaheim controlled much of the game. They owned 57.75% of the 5-on-5 shot share (26-19), 53.19% of the shot attempts (50-44), and a commanding 62.96% of expected goals (2.67-1.57). But the scoreboard told a different story.
The Ducks forced passing plays through the neutral zone and high in the offensive zone early on, and as the game wore on, they started firing from all angles. But the execution wasn’t there. Possession doesn’t mean much if you can’t finish-and the Ducks just couldn’t find the back of the net.
Lineup Choices Come Into Focus
One of the more puzzling moves was the decision to scratch Ryan Strome. No, Strome hasn’t had the most productive season, but he’s been serviceable-especially when healthy.
He’s a natural center who thrives in the offensive zone, particularly below the circles and at the blue line-areas where Anaheim struggled to connect all night. That second line with Kreider and Colangelo could’ve benefited from Strome’s experience and playmaking.
Instead, the Ducks leaned on Ian Moore in a fourth-line role again. Moore’s been a do-it-all guy for Quenneville this season-forechecking, grinding, filling gaps-but the fourth line couldn’t generate anything dangerous and struggled to contain chances going the other way.
Given the injury situation, this stretch might’ve been the right time to give some of the younger forwards down in San Diego a look. Names like Nathan Gaucher, Nikita Nesterenko, Sasha Pastujov, Nico Myatovic, Jan Mysak, and Yegor Sidorov are all knocking on the door. With the Ducks struggling to create offense, injecting some youth and energy could’ve provided a spark.
Forecheck Fizzles, Power Play Shows Flashes
Early on, Anaheim’s defensemen were able to pinch aggressively because Vancouver’s forwards weren’t applying much pressure. But as the game wore on, the Ducks backed off and lost that edge. A more simplified, north-south approach might’ve helped generate some higher-quality looks, especially late in the game when urgency kicked in.
On the power play, there were some encouraging signs. Keeping Kreider high in the zone in the bumper spot opened up passing lanes from Granlund on the flank to Sennecke down low.
From there, Sennecke tried to thread the needle to either Kreider crashing the net or Gauthier on the weak side. The success rate wasn’t high, but the structure was there.
With more reps, that unit could start cashing in.
What’s Next
The Ducks return home Sunday to face the Vegas Golden Knights in what’s shaping up to be another crucial Pacific Division matchup. With just two games left before the Olympic break, Anaheim needs to find answers-and fast.
The pieces are there. The effort is there.
But if the Ducks want to stay in the playoff hunt, they’ll need better execution, smarter lineup choices, and a little more finish around the net. Thursday night in Vancouver was a missed opportunity.
Now it’s about making sure the next one isn’t.