The Anaheim Ducks failed once more to find their first win in their current road trip, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday via shootout, 3-2. It was the second of six-straight games in the East Coast for the Ducks, who remain in second place in the Pacific Division’s standings.
Backup goalie Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves in that contest, filling in nicely for regular starter John Gibson. But goaltending is the least of Anaheim’s concerns right now, as the team is not getting enough done on the offensive end. The Ducks had just 16 shots against the Lightning and looked sluggish again from the start. They now have a 2-14-7 record this season in games that they trailed after the first two periods.
Center Ryan Kesler, who had a couple of assists on Saturday, appears to be the only consistent player for the team right now. Kesler has six points over his last five starts, but he needs more help from his other usually-productive teammates in Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Jakub Silfverburg. As it stands, Anaheim is a mere 21st in the NHL with an average 2.6 goals scored per game.
On top of that, the Ducks are losing their cool more frequently of late. They’ve committed a combined 12 penalties in their two road losses and a total of 23 in their last five games overall, yet were fortunate to have given up just one power play goal to their opponents during that five-game stretch.
All things considered, though, it’s still hard to count on the Ducks to snap out of their funk this Tuesday in Madison Square Garden. They’ve lost four-consecutive games against teams with a winning record and have also gone 1-5 in their last six road contests against such opponents.
In a rather exact-opposite situation from the Ducks are the New York Rangers, who have now won back-to-back games to kick off their brief four-game homestand by beating the Calgary Flames on Sunday, 4-3.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 29 shots on Sunday for his fourth win in six starts. New York’s four wins during that span with Lundqvist between the pipes were all decided by a single goal, but the team is really getting enough work done on the opposite end of the ice to aid its former Vezina Trophy-winning goalie.
The Rangers, who are the second-highest scoring team in the NHL at a superb 3.4 goals scored per game, have all three of their surprise standouts shining simultaneously. Michael Grabner, who leads New York with 23 goals scored this season, found the back of the net once and had an assist against the Flames. Left wing Chris Kreider, meanwhile, scored for the third-straight game, and center J.T. Miller dished out two helpers for the second-straight night as well.
Given how the Rangers are a mere fourth in the crowded Metropolitan Division despite being the eighth-best team in the league to date, we don’t expect them to take their foot off the pedal just yet. Certainly not against Anaheim this Tuesday at that, as they’ve won all four of their recent meetings against the Ducks by a combined score of 16-6.
Writer’s Prediction
The Ducks’ woes on the road continue as the Rangers (-140) win, 4-2.
