The Anaheim Ducks will face the New Jersey Devils in a Saturday morning game, with puck drop scheduled for 9:30 a.m. PT. The match will be broadcast on Victory+ and KCOP-13.
Anaheim enters the contest with a 19-11-1 record after seeing its three-game winning streak end in a 5-2 defeat to the New York Islanders on Thursday. Head coach Joel Quenneville reflected on the loss, stating, “We had a really good first period, and we’re down three-nothing. 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.”
Troy Terry contributed a goal and an assist during the loss, while Leo Carlsson scored Anaheim’s other goal. Terry commented on the momentum shift in the opening period: “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.”
Despite falling behind early, Quenneville noted positives for his team ahead of their matchup against New Jersey: “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.”
The Ducks have received reinforcements as goaltender Lukas Dostal was activated from injured reserve on Friday; he last played on November 22.
New Jersey comes into today’s game with a 17-13-1 record and is also seeking to rebound after recent struggles—having lost seven of their last eight games. Jesper Bratt leads the Devils with 27 points this season, while Timo Meier is first in goals scored at 11; however, Meier is currently away from the team due to personal reasons and will not participate in today’s match.
Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Arseny Gritsyuk will also miss today’s game because of an upper body injury.
