Ducks Look to Start New Streak in Vancouver

The Ducks (28-22-3) close out their five-game road trip with a visit to Vancouver to take on the Canucks (17-31-5).

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT and will air on Victory+ and KCOP-13.

The Ducks remain third in the Pacific Division despite their winning streak coming to an end on Monday with a 7-4 loss to the Oilers.

The power play unit for the Ducks was strong in that game as the team went three-for-four on the night. Those three goals belonged to Mikael Granlund for the hat trick as he scored one in each period.

Head coach Joel Quenneville said while you “hate to waste” effort like that when you come out on the wrong side of the tilt, the unit was so effective it’s something they can hopefully build on moving forward.

“The power play was excellent last game, it was our best of the year,” Quenneville said. “Generated games like that, you usually get something out of it. But that was certainly great to see the response of a lot of different guys and suddenly they just seemed to click. We’re gonna rely on that as we go along here, we’re gonna need it.”

Vancouver remains at the bottom of the Pacific Division and is 1-11-2 in the month of January. The team’s last win was a 4-3 victory over the Capitals on Jan. 21.

Having lost to the Canucks already this season, “being respectful” for their opponent is something Quenneville is preaching to his team, knowing how Vancouver still plays tough despite its record.

“Let’s be aware they can beat anybody,” he said. “They’re at home here and they’re in a stretch where they’re going need something so [we] expect them to be a very tough opponent tonight.

Additionally, Granlund said a key to tonight’s game is to draw on what worked so well for them during their seven-game winning streak, noting this is the final road game for the group until March 10, so closing it out on a high note would be huge.

“We want to try to end this trip in a good way,” Granlund said. “It’s been a good trip so far, so we’ve been playing some good hockey and it’s going to keep continuing to do that. Playing the right way and not give up anything easy and we’re going to get our chances.”