The Anaheim Ducks will continue their four-game road trip with a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The match is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Victory+ and KCOP-13.
Anaheim, currently holding a 21-18-3 record, sits sixth in the Pacific Division after losing to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. The team cited penalties as a major factor in that defeat and acknowledged the need for improvement.
“We have to be disciplined, for sure,” said Jackson LaCombe. “We can’t win hockey games taking (11) penalties, whatever it was. … First and foremost, our compete just has to be better. That’s just a key that we have to figure out and come together and do…There’s always areas you can clean up, but I think for us that’s kind of our biggest thing.”
Head coach Joel Quenneville addressed the team’s morale following recent losses and outlined adjustments ahead of the game in Carolina.
“I liked their attitude out there today, I thought we had a good vibe out here in the morning,” Quenneville said after the team’s morning skate. “I think we’ve got some balance in our lines. Defensively, we’ve gotta have more awareness to play a whole shift out there, both sides of the puck. You’re going to take care of both ends of the action. It’s more of a type of look with rebalancing the lines and that consistency against a team that doesn’t give you much time or space that you’re going to look to have to play a tight game [against.]”
On Wednesday, Anaheim recalled Tim Washe from San Diego while placing goaltender Petr Mrazek on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.
Washe commented on his transition from the AHL: “Our systems are pretty identical from here and the American League (AHL),” Washe said. “So that’s pretty nice that you can see some similar things in both zones, all three zones for that matter. Work hard, play your game, [and] follow your instincts.”
The Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division by three points over the Islanders and are coming off two consecutive wins, most recently defeating Dallas 6-3. Sebastian Aho leads Carolina in assists (26) and points (43), while Seth Jarvis has scored 20 goals this season.
The last meeting between Anaheim and Carolina took place in October when Carolina won 4-1.
