The Vancouver Canucks wrap up their two-game homestand on Tuesday night as the Canucks welcome the Anaheim Ducks for Diwali Night at Rogers Arena.
It will be the second matchup in eight days between the Canucks and Ducks. Vancouver won last Tuesday’s game in exciting fashion, coming back from a 5-2 deficit with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki led the third period comeback, scoring the final two goals of regulation to force overtime. Filip Hronek put the nail in the coffin with the overtime-winner.
Quick Hits on the Competition
- Anaheim comes into Tuesday’s game fresh off a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. They are 6-7-1 this season but are 2-6-1 over their last nine games.
- The Ducks have been involved in plenty of high-scoring games this season. They have scored five or more goals in each of their last four games and averaged 10.5 total goals over that stretch.
- Leo Carlsson leads the way offensively with 21 points (4g-17a) in 14 games.
- Beckett Sennecke leads the Ducks with eight goals.
- Jackson LaCombe is averaging 26:45 of ice time per game and is over a point per game this season.
- The Ducks have the league’s second-most potent power play. They are scoring on 34% of their man-advantage opportunities.
- Cutter Gauthier is in a three-way tie for the league lead in power play goals with six.
- The Ducks are outscoring their opposition 22-14 in the final 40 minutes of regulation but have been outscored 11-8 in first periods this season.
- They are 3-0-0 when they score the opening goal on the road.
- Lukas Dostal has started nine of the Ducks’ 14 games this season. He has an .872% save percentage and a 3.56 goals-against average.
The Story: Willander’s Growth in Sophomore Season
When Tom Willander finished his rookie season, he knew that he wanted to work on his conditioning to be better prepared for a full season of NHL action in his sophomore year.
He put in the work this summer, and it’s showing now. Through 16 games, Willander leads the team in five-on-five ice time and ranks second on the team in Corsi among players with at least five games played.
“It’s just helping my game everywhere,” said Willander when asked about how his improved conditioning has helped him this season. “I felt like last season I got myself in trouble when at the end of a shift, you start feeling a little bit slow, and that’s when I feel details slip. So, I think it’s been better that way, and you can handle more minutes, and between games you recover better too.”
He mentioned that all the ice time he is getting right now is helping him get into a rhythm, and his head coach added what he sees as the next step for Willander’s development.
“He recognizes there’s more there, and he wants to do more. He wants to be better, just like all of our guys, but for him, recognizing the value and simplicity of the game, just making a first clean pass, not complicating breakouts, and trying to do too much, especially early in the game. I think it’ll help our group out and help out with his confidence in terms of just making the right play over and over,” said Malhotra.
Canucks' Top Performers over the Last Five Games
Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 3g-3a-3p
Filip Hronek: 1g-5a-6p
Brock Boeser: 3g-2a-5p
Elias Pettersson: 1g-4a-5p
Liam Öhgren: 2g-0a-2p
Max Sasson: 2g-0a-2p
When and Where to Watch
Tuesday’s game starts at 7:00 p.m. PCT, and you can watch on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on KiSS West Coast.
