The Anaheim Ducks lost five straight, and they appear to be getting worse offensively as this losing streak continues.
What started as an embarrassing but salvageable loss to the then-winless Calgary Flames has turned into a five-game losing streak. The Ducks took a 2-1 lead in that contest before Calgary stormed back and stole the win at Honda Center.
Then Anaheim faced the Boston Bruins and took a two-goal lead in the first period. Boston scored four unanswered goals, and the Ducks headed to the East Coast to rebuild that early-season momentum they just lost.
The problem? Anaheim decided to ramp up their intensity way too late in losses to the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. In those three contests, the Ducks scored five goals, and just one came in the first two periods.
Case in point, the Ducks’ costly new trend during this losing streak has involved subpar offense throughout the first two periods. That was the case against the Rangers, when the game was never close.
Fast-forward to Tuesday’s loss against the Islanders, and Frank Vatrano scored at 17:18 in the first period, after the Isles went up 2-0. Then Anaheim went down 3-1 when Simon Holmstrom scored at the 18:44 mark of the first period on the power play. The Ducks wouldn’t score again until the third frame, when Alex Killorn scored at 17:20.
Anaheim Ducks Haven’t Shown Up Offensively On Road Trip
Things reached a standstill in Thursday night’s loss to the Devils. Anaheim generated just 17 shots in the game, including two in the first period. The closest they came to outshooting the Devils was in the third period when they landed seven shots on net. New Jersey also had seven shots on goal in the final frame.
Tim Washe cut the Devils’ lead to 2-1 on a tip-in at the 8:20 mark of the third period. Just over five minutes later, Anthony Mantha put the Devils back up by two goals. Given Anaheim’s lethargic play across the entire road trip, Mantha’s goal all but iced the game for the Devils.
In Monday’s loss to the Rangers, the Ducks may have gone down 5-0 at one point. But they at least finished the game with 31 shots, 21 of which came in the first two periods. As in their loss to the Devils, Anaheim had just 17 shots against the Islanders. That’s 34 shots in the last six periods.
Ducks Have One More Chance To Build Much-Needed Momentum
Anaheim will conclude its road trip on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has recently gotten into a rhythm. With Philadelphia playing better as of late, the Ducks’ last chance to build momentum on this East Coast road trip will be a challenge.
It will also give players like Beckett Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Mikael Granlund, among others, an opportunity to prove that this Anaheim Ducks team is better than it has shown over the past five games. Especially over their past three contests.
Regardless of whether they figure things out against the Flyers, the Ducks can’t afford to let their offensive woes keep going much longer. Not only will they face the lowly Vancouver Canucks in their first game back at Honda Center; Anaheim could easily find itself 10+ points out of first place.
That would put them in a substantial hole before October ends. So, the sense of urgency to get some offense going on Saturday is skyrocketing.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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