VIDEO: Anaheim Comes Up Short Against Columbus

Photo: AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks continued their homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Just prior to the game Rickard Rakell was activated from the IR and would play in this contest. Ryan Miller was in net against Elvis Merzlikins.

The Ducks did not waste time scoring in this one. Ryan Getzlaf would tip a Michael Del Zotto point shot to give Anaheim the early 1-0 lead. Eric Robinson would tie the game up a little more than halfway through the period. The teams remained tied at one after the first 20 minutes.

Podcast: New Year, Same Ducks?

In the second, Ondrej Kase would score just 24 seconds into the period. Kase would skate in close to the side of the net and take a quick shot that would squeeze past Merzlikins. Everything looked for Anaheim until the final two minutes of the period.

Nathan Gerbe would score after crashing the net, but the play appeared to be offsides. Coach Dallas Eakins challenged the play, but it was ruled onside because Hampus Lindholm had knocked the puck back into the Ducks offensive zone. As a result of the failed challenge, Columbus received a power play and converted to take the lead. The Ducks were now down 3-2 at the end of the second period.

Zach Werenski would add a goal late in the game to make it 4-2 Columbus. Kase would get his second goal of the game immediately after, but it wasn’t enough and the Ducks lost 4-3.

Injury Updates per Ducks:

–Troy Terry: He has been cleared to play and is day-to-day based on conditioning

–Derek Grant and Nick Ritchie: Both can begin skating with the team and could return after the All-Star break.

–Korbinian Holzer: He was cleared to play, but was not in the lineup last night.

Team News/Stats:

-Kase turned in one of his best performances with two goals. He had six shots on goal and four high-danger chances. He played just under 20 minutes last night.

-Silfverberg left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Analysis:

The Ducks played well enough to win this contest. The final minutes of the second period did them in. There was the controversial non-offsides call that led to the second Columbus goal. From certain angles provided on television at home, it appears that Lindholm does get his stick on the puck pushing it past the blue line. Based on that evidence the play was correctly upheld. It was a close play and worth challenging, but Anaheim giving up a power play goal in the next sequence was a momentum changer.

What’s Next?

The Ducks host the Dallas Stars on Thursday at 7pm PT.

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January 7th, 2019