Ducks 10 Game Review: Games 61-70

Photo: USA Today

By Thomas Harrington

The Ducks have stumbled recently, losing three straight and going 5-4-1 in the last 10 games. Before this recent skid, things were looking good for Anaheim. With only a dozen games left, the Ducks are in for a fight if they want to make the playoffs.

Anaheim’s best forward over the last 10 games has been Rickard Rakell. He led the team in goals with eight and was second in points with 13. Rakell also recorded his first career hat trick against Edmonton and scored two goals in the final 21 seconds of regulation to force overtime. He’s hit 30 goals for the second consecutive season and will likely set a new high in goals, surpassing last season’s total of 33.

The Ducks’ best defenseman over the last 10 games was Josh Manson. He continues to be mister reliable on Anaheim’s blueline, and even scored two goals and five points, leading the defense in both categories. One of his goals was a breakaway goal against Columbus. He’s not a flashy player but can play well in any situation he’s put in.

The worst forward over the last 10 games was JT Brown. When the Ducks first claimed him on waivers, he brought some much-needed speed to the fourth line and picked up a couple of points. However, over the last 10 games, he played in only four games and failed to record any points. With the deadline acquisitions of Chris Kelly and Jason Chimera, it’ll be harder for Brown to get into the lineup on a regular basis unless his play sees a dramatic uptick.

The worst defensemen over the last 10 games were both Francois Beauchemin and Kevin Bieksa. I name both for one simple reason: when they are in the lineup together, they form an old, slow, defensive pair that simply isn’t good enough for today’s NHL. However, when one sits and the other is paired with someone else in the lineup, they are less of a liability. This was quite evident over the last 10 games, as both sat for several games and they were replaced by the rookie Marcus Pettersson. While each still struggled at times, they weren’t as bad when paired with the younger player.

In net, John Gibson played a majority of the time, starting six of the 10 games. Both he and Ryan Miller played well, including splitting a shutout against Vegas. Gibson also shutout Washington, while Miller shutout Dallas. Unfortunately, that shutout was Miller’s lone win in his four starts, while Gibson picked up four wins. Both goalies will have to play better in order for the Ducks to make the playoffs.

The Ducks are still quite healthy, as Patrick Eaves continues to be the only player to be out long term. Ryan Kesler still isn’t 100%, and some games you can tell. In Anaheim’s most recent game against St. Louis, he played just over 15 minutes. There was a scare when Manson was cut recently, but he returned to the ice and seems none the worse for wear.

Pettersson continues to be the only rookie in Anaheim’s lineup. He played in eight of the last 10 games and scored his first career goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. It was also his first goal scored in North America, as he has yet to score with the Gulls. He’s a solid but unspectacular player who has really helped solidify the team’s bottom pair. With the additions of Kelly and Chimera, Anaheim’s forward ranks look pretty set for the time being, so it’s unlikely we’ll see anyone else recalled from San Diego unless the Ducks run into injury trouble again.

A few more things that caught my eye over the last 10 games. Ryan Getzlaf was an absolute force on the ice, leading the team in assists with 13 and points with 16. He went through a bit of a slump a little while ago but was one of Anaheim’s best players over the last 10 games. The last two seasons haven’t been exactly kind to Corey Perry, but he’s been better of late, scoring three goals and nine points over the last 10. The line of Ondrej Kase, Adam Henrique, and Nick Ritchie really struggled in recent games.  Kase has been one of Anaheim’s most dangerous players all season, but he failed to record any points over the last 10 games, while Ritchie only scored an empty net goal. Henrique scored two goals and four points and was the best of these three. As mentioned earlier, Kesler isn’t 100% healthy, and he only recorded one assist over the last 10 games. Anaheim’s defense contributed a good amount of offense, as Cam Fowler and Pettersson both scored one goal, while Hampus Lindholm and Manson both scored twice. Derek Grant continues his unexpected season, scoring one goal and five points. Kelly picked up his first point as a Duck in the loss to St. Louis, getting an assist on Grant’s goal. He and Chimera have fit in nicely on the fourth line in the few games that they’ve been with the Ducks.

Three straight losses have put the Ducks in a hole. The playoffs are far from a certainty, but they aren’t a pipe dream either. The Ducks are in the thick of it and are going to need to play much better over the final dozen games of the season if they want to make the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.

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March 14th, 2018