The Anaheim Ducks are set to finish their two-game road trip with a matchup against the St. Louis Blues on Monday. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Victory+ and KCOP-13.
Anaheim comes into the contest after a 5-3 defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks, despite jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the first period. Cutter Gauthier and Olen Zellweger scored within the first 47 seconds, marking the fastest pair of goals to start a game in Ducks franchise history.
While pleased with their fast start, players and coaches emphasized the need to maintain leads throughout games. “We’ve been preaching it all season how we need to come out firing,” Gauthier said. “It’s been too many times this season where we started the game down a goal or down two goals. I was really happy with our group to come out with a couple goals there. We’ve got to keep on building it, but it’s a full 60 we need.”
Head coach Joel Quenneville echoed these sentiments: “I think after we got the 3-0 lead we didn’t do what made us successful,” he said. “We got careless with the puck and (thought) we could do whatever we wanted to do, and that changed.
“Whatever word you want to use. Certainly disappointed. That was one that you get it out of your mind because it could haunt you.”
Ahead of Monday’s game, Anaheim recalled goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, placing Lukas Dostal on injured reserve as a corresponding move. Buteyets has split time between San Diego and Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL this season, recording five wins in ten appearances and securing his first career AHL victory on November 26 at Tucson by stopping 39 of 42 shots.
The St. Louis Blues enter tonight’s matchup riding a two-game win streak after defeating Mammoth 1-0 last Saturday. The team announced forward Jimmy Snuggerud will go on injured reserve due to a wrist injury while Alexey Toropchenko is considered week-to-week following burns sustained at home.
St. Louis also recalled Aleksanteri Kaskimaki from Springfield Thunderbirds; head coach Jim Montgomery stated Kaskimaki would join tonight’s starting lineup if travel delays do not prevent his timely arrival.
