It’s a Saturday morning matinee as the Anaheim Ducks (19-11-1) prepare to face off against the New Jersey Devils (17-13-1) at 9:30 a.m. PT. Fans can catch the action on Victory+ and KCOP-13.
The Ducks are looking to bounce back after their three-game winning streak was snapped on Thursday with a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders. Head coach Joel Quenneville expressed his disappointment, noting the stark contrast between a strong first period and the 3-0 deficit that followed. “We had a really good first period, and we’re down three-nothing,” Quenneville explained. “I think that was the game right there in a nutshell. We had good pace, good energy. They got the breaks, and we’re chasing the game after that. They check pretty good.”
Despite the setback, there were some bright spots for the Ducks. Troy Terry recorded a goal and an assist, while Leo Carlsson contributed the team’s other goal. Terry commented on the rapid change in momentum, saying, “It just felt like things escalated quickly in a short time in the first. I thought we had pushback, but that’s a good hockey team. They know how to close hockey games and not let you back in it.”
Looking ahead to today’s matchup, Quenneville remains optimistic. “We’re going to Jersey and let’s get excited knowing that it’s tough coming back from [being down] 3-0 in this game,” he said. “We’ve had a decent start to the year. Now, it’s getting [to be] a different stretch here where we try to get points every day.”
Adding to their roster, Anaheim activated goaltender Lukas Dostal from injured reserve on Friday. Dostal last suited up on November 22 and his return is expected to fortify the net for the Ducks.
On the other side, the Devils are also searching for redemption after a rough patch, going 1-7 in their last eight games. Jesper Bratt leads New Jersey with 27 points, while Timo Meier is the team’s top goal-scorer with 11. However, Meier will not be in today’s lineup due to personal leave. New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe also announced that Arseny Gritsyuk will miss the game due to an upper body injury.
With both teams eager to turn things around, today’s game promises to be an intense matchup.
