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The Anaheim Ducks opened their three-game Western Canada road trip with a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night in British Columbia. The win returned Anaheim to a .500 record following a previous 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators, while avenging an overtime loss to Vancouver from a week earlier.
Lineup Changes and Game Overview
Prior to the game, the Ducks placed forward AJ Greer on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury sustained late in Sunday’s contest against Ottawa. Prospect Nico Myatovic made his NHL debut in Greer’s place, slotting onto the third line alongside Tim Washe and Sam Colangelo. In net, Laurent Brossoit got the start for Anaheim and stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced, while Vancouver goaltender Kevin Lankinen saved 17 of 22 shots as the Canucks dropped their fourth consecutive game.
Power Play and Defensive Performance
While 5-on-5 play remained closely contested in shots and chances, Anaheim’s special teams proved decisive. The Ducks went 3-for-3 on the power play during the night. Their opening power-play goal came when Beckett Sennecke set up Mikael Granlund in the bumper slot. After Vancouver’s penalty killers began collapsing on Sennecke near the bottom of the circle, passing lanes opened up to Cutter Gauthier at the top of the circle, where he scored two of his three goals in the contest.
On defense, Anaheim adjusted against Vancouver’s strategy of utilizing point shots and net-front traffic to counter the Ducks’ pressure-zone system. Rookie defenseman Noah Warren effectively managed his aggressiveness and shot-blocking positioning along the blueline before Vancouver converted its fourth goal of the game.
Rookie Debut and Special Teams Highlights
Making his NHL debut, Myatovic logged 10:34 of ice time in a low-event role, contributing on the forecheck and backcheck during a game heavily impacted by 9:02 of special teams play. Meanwhile, forward Leo Carlsson led all Anaheim forwards with 3:29 of penalty-kill time. Carlsson utilized his reach and speed to disrupt Vancouver’s setup, eventually scoring a shorthanded goal to highlight his expanded defensive responsibilities in his fourth NHL season.
The Ducks continue their road trip in Alberta with a back-to-back set, beginning against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. PST.
