Game 35: Anaheim At Colorado
Anaheim(17-10-7) at Colorado (17-8-2)
Pregame Show: DucksNPucks Podcast
TV: 12:00 PM PT/3:00 PM ET, Bally Sports West
Radio & Post Game Show: KLAA AM 830
Anaheim Outlook
The Ducks ended 2021 on a down note losing to Vegas 3-1 on New Year’s Eve. Anaheim couldn’t get the offense going and got behind early 0-2. The Ducks literally tried to fight their way back into the game, but it didn’t work. Sam Steel returned to action from the league COVID protocol, but the Ducks were still without Max Comtois, Trevor Zegras, Cam Fowler and Adam Henrique. Anaheim will have Comtois and Fowler back in the lineup today.
Anaheim continues to thrive on special teams. The Ducks are 26.4% efficient on the power play, which ranks 5th in the league. Their penalty kill is 86.8% efficient, which is 3rd in the NHL.
Troy Terry leads the team in scoring with 18 goals.
Roster Moves:
Brendan Guhle was reassigned to San Diego.
Jacob Larsson assigned to taxi squad.
Greg Pateryn added to the roster.
Taxi Squad
Lukas Dostal
Jacob Larsson
Danny O’Regan
Injury/COVID News:
Ryan Getzlaf was placed in the COVID protocol.
Cam Fowler left the game againist Vancouver with an upper-body injury. He will play today.
Trevor Zegras and Max Comtois are currently in the COVID protocol. Comtois will be available today.
Josh Mahura remains on the IR with an upper-body injury. He is listed as week-to-week.
Adam Henrique has an lower-body injury and remains on the IR. He has been skating on his own, but the timeline for his return is unknown.
Max Jones had surgery to repair a pectoralis major tendon tear and will be out for 4-6 months. He is also in the COVID protocol per Head Coach Dallas Eakins.
Projected Lineup
Offense:
Rickard Rakell – Derek Grant – Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois – Isac Lundestrom – Troy Terry
Sonny Milano – Sam Steel – Vinni Lettieri
Nicolas Deslauriers – Sam Carrick – Buddy Robinson
Defense:
Hampus Lindholm – Jamie Drysdale
Cam Fowler – Josh Manson
Simon Benoit – Kevin Shattenkirk
In Net:
John Gibson 11-8-6 GAA 2.769 SV% .915(Confirmed)
Colorado Outlook
The Avalanche are currently in fourth place in the Central Division with 36 points. They have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. The last time they played was on Thursday December 16th in a 5-2 loss to Nashville. They have had seven games total postponed. They may be rusty in today’s contest.
Colorado averages 4.22 goals per game, which ranks 1st in the league. They give up 3.37 goals against on average. On the power play they are 23.4% efficient, which ranks 9th in the league. They are 26th in the league on the penalty kill at 75.6% efficiency.
Mikko Rantanen leads the team in scoring with 14 goals.
Projected Lineup
Offense
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Valeri Nichushkin – Nazem Kadri – Andre Burakovsky
J.T. Compher – Alex Newhook – Logan O’Connor
Callahan Burke – Tyson Jost – Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defense
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Bowen Byram
Erik Johnson – Jack Johnson
In Net
Darcy Kuemper 13-5-0, GAA 2.77, SV% .907 (Confirmed)
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January 2nd, 2022