VIDEO: Grant Hat Tricks The Ducks Past Blues

Photo: Canadien Press

By Richard Gonzalez

The Anaheim Ducks took on the St. Louis Blues, in the first game of their road trip. The Ducks were coming off a disappointing homestand and a five-game losing streak. The Blues are playing their second of back-to-backs. They lost 3-2, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday (11/15). John Gibson and Jordan Binnington would each get the start for their respective teams. Devin Shore took Ondrej Kase’s place in the lineup.

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The Blues players started causing havoc early in front of Gibson, but it would be the Ducks that would get the opening goal by a one-touch pass from Max Jones to Ryan Getzlaf. Jones started on the top line and it paid dividends immediately. Derek Grant would get the Ducks a two-goal lead when Binnington misplayed the puck off Nic Deslauriers’ foot. The puck went right to Grant who scored on an empty net. The Ducks would get a power-play toward the end of the first but did not score and held on to the 2-0 lead.

The Blues would cut the lead in half with a goal from Vince Dunn in the second period. Josh Mahura may have screened Gibson on the play. Shore would take the Ducks first penalty, which they would kill and score thanks to an individual effort from Grant. The Ducks would go on to kill three more penalties and shut down the Blues and their 25% power play (5th in the league).

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Blues forward, Oskar Sundqvist, would take a run at Gibson who left his crease to play the puck and that led to a mini scrum. Deslauriers was the first Ducks player to go after Sundqvist. Toward the end of the games, Nick Ritchie would confront Sundqvist but nothing transpired from that. The Blues pulled their goalie and Getzlaf, in such an unselfish play, fed the puck to Grant and sent him on a breakaway to score his hat trick goal.

Analysis

The Ducks coming in this game did not have any pressure on them. They seemed to be a lot looser tonight and did not panic when the Blues cut the lead in half. They moved the puck well and took advantage of the Blues playing back-to-back. Jones looked pretty good playing on the top line with Getzlaf. The defense played better in front of their own net and made smart passes out of their zone. The penalty kill was great but the Ducks could not convert on their power play chances. Regardless, what a way to end a losing streak and to start the road trip.

What’s next?

The Ducks will play the Washington Capitals on Monday (11/18) at 4:00 P.M. Be sure to join us at the third DucksNPucks watch party at Avila’s El Ranchito (182 S. Orange Street) in Orange. There will be Ducks specials on drinks and food; also, there will be a chance to win some prizes.

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November 17th, 2019