With the midway point of the season nearing, the Anaheim Ducks find themselves within earshot of the Stanley Cup playoff conversation.
As the Ducks prepare to host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, they have won four of five outings to pull one game back of .500 and keep a run for a postseason spot in sight.
Anaheim returns after an impressive 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday kicked off a two-game homestand before a potentially make-or-break six-game road trip.
“We’re just trying to string (wins) together,” said goaltender John Gibson, who recorded his 200th career victory. “I think there’s confidence in the group, chemistry with the lines, and we’re all playing well — all on the same page — and I think it’s showing on the ice.”
Anaheim’s successful run also includes victories over the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils.
The Ducks finished last in the league two seasons ago and 30th overall in the 2023-24 campaign but appear to have taken a big step forward.
Helping turn around the team’s fortunes is not only the development of young players, but also the veterans working through the club’s rebuild. Top scorer Troy Terry, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano have played key roles.
Vatrano signed a three-year, $18 million contract hours before he scored twice in a three-point game against Tampa Bay.
“When you have security, you don’t have to think about it anymore,” Vatrano said. “Put it in the past and just focus on hockey.”
The Flames arrive having dropped three of four games, most recently Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the visiting Nashville Predators.
Calgary is just outside a playoff position and sits five points ahead of Anaheim entering Monday, but it is struggling to keep pace due to a lack of scoring and special teams issues.
The Flames were done in by both of those elements against the Predators. Despite dominating the first period, they could not find a lead, then surrendered two power-play goals, a deficit they could not overcome.
Calgary’s power play has managed four goals in the last 10 games and has been worse on the penalty kill, which sits near the bottom in the league at 70.4 percent.
“Every time we make a little … mistake, it’s in the back of the net. That’s usually what happens when you’re fighting it a little bit,” captain Mikael Backlund said. “But it’s no excuse, we’ve got to figure it out. If you want to make the playoffs, that’s something that’s going to have to be a lot better.”
The Flames will receive a boost on this coming two-game trip, which also includes a visit with the Los Angeles Kings. The players have their mothers or another close female mentor with them in Southern California.
Not only does everyone on the trip want to treat their moms to a fun time, but the plan is to also reward them with plenty of reasons to cheer.
“I’m really excited,” defenseman MacKenzie Weegar told the team’s website while talking about his mother, Louise. “It’s going to be a little emotional at times, too, because it’s been a long road to help me get here and to see what we go through on a day-to-day basis. … I hope she feels a lot of gratitude on this trip, I really do. This trip is for them to have a blast, and I hope we get the four points.”
–Field Level Media
