The Preds finish off their road trip in Anaheim, where even the good karma from not employing Corey Perry anymore hasn’t been enough to improve the Ducks’ season.
In a lot of ways, the Ducks look like the Sharks–something both teams would probably hate to hear. They combine a poor 5v5 offense with a poor 5v5 defense, bad shooting luck, poor special teams performance, and league-average goaltending that just isn’t enough to drag them out of the mire. John Gibson is having a very mortal season, putting up a .899 behind the shots he’s faced, while backup Lukáš Dostál has managed a .897.
Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry share the points lead with 45 each, with Vatrano leading in goals at 26 and Terry leading in assists at 28. Mason McTavish, Cam Fowler, and Adam Henrique have also been regular offensive contributors, while Jakob Silfverberg has been a defensive standout and Trevor Zegras–currently out with a broken ankle–has been one of their best offensive play-drivers.
For a nice change of pace, this game airs at 7PM Central, despite taking place in California, and airs on Bally Sports South and 102.5 The Game.
Statistics from naturalstattrick.com. Additional background from hockeyviz.com.