Preview: Ducks Conclude 2024-25 Season Tonight in Winnipeg

The Ducks will reach the end of the 2024-25 season with a trip north of the border, tonight taking on the President's Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.

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Anaheim's season-ending trip got off to a disappointing start last night, as for the second straight game the Ducks could not hold a late third-period lead - ultimately falling 3-2 to Minnesota in overtime.

“We played hard,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “It’s just disappointing to lose that point, particularly when the play they made to tie it should never happen on a pulled goalie. You can’t get people below defenders. It's a bummer. I thought we played well enough to get a win. I thought [the Wild] controlled the second period for the most part, and I thought the first and third were pretty even.”

Lukas Dostal made 37 saves in net for Anaheim in the setback, capping what's been a breakout season for the 24-year-old netminder.

"He's been our best player all year," Cronin said. "In the second period, they had some really quality chances and he did his job, as he has all year. When your goalie is your best defender, you're probably going to have a good night."

"I played a lot of games this season and that was something I was hoping for when the year started," Dostal added. "I think I developed this year but obviously there are some games where I could have played better. That's the motivation for next year, to get more points, more wins and to make the playoffs."

The Ducks also welcomed rookie forward Tim Washe to the NHL, as the recent signee made his league debut centering the club's fourth line. Playing alongside Isac Lundestrom and Jansen Harkins, Washe finished the night with two shot attempts and one hit in 6:24 of ice-time.

"I thought he was good," Cronin said. "He's a big kid and he can skate. [His line] didn't get a lot of ice time, but when they got it, I thought [they played well]. Their line got us going there in the third period. We were a little bit flat, but that line had a shift where they had a couple low-to-high passes and shots to the net for some rebounds. I thought that got us going offensively."

The loss dropped Anaheim to 35-37-9 on the season, as the Ducks will finish about 15 points shy of a playoff berth pending tonight's result in Winnipeg. The Ducks will meet a Jets team already locked into its postseason positioning, a first round date with the St. Louis Blues, but also a group using tonight's game as a final pre-playoff test.

“We’re going all in," Jets coach Scott Arniel told the team's Jamie Thomas. "Everybody wants to play. And you know what, for us it’s making sure that we’re doing the right things that we’ve done all year long, playing the right way.”

Anaheim has claimed narrow victories in each of the first two meetings this season with Winnipeg, a 3-2 result in December and 4-3 OT victory at the turn of the New Year. The Ducks are one of just two NHL teams the Jets have not defeated this season.