Preview: Ducks Host Canucks Amidst Playoff Chase

The Ducks are back on home ice tonight for one of the season's most pivotal games thus far, hosting the division rival Vancouver Canucks at Honda Center.

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Anaheim returns home with three of six possible standings points on a three-game road trip, but with a bitte taste still left over from a disappointing 3-2 loss in Buffalo Tuesday night. The Ducks led 2-0 heading into the third period that night, but would see the Sabres claim control with three goals in a span of eight minutes.

“We were fortunate that we were ahead in the first, they had multiple grade-A chances and Lukas [Dostal] was awesome," head coach Greg Cronin said. "And then the second period, we kind of settled in. Then they came out the first couple shifts [in the third period] and they were buzzing around our zone. They got momentum from it and they deserved it. They deserved to win the game, they deserved the goals. We couldn't match their pace and we couldn't match their work habits.”

“Unfortunately, there were mistakes that cost us,” captain Radko Gudas added. “I thought we held our ground for most of the night. Obviously it wasn't the best first period, then in the second, we were a lot better. But unfortunately in the third we did some mistakes that ended up costing us. We’ve got to do better job in front ‘Dosty’, too, when he's playing great like that and giving us chance to win these games.”

The loss, just Anaheim's second regulation defeat in the last 10 games, snapped a season-long five-game point streak and dropped the club to 25-25-7 on the season. The Ducks now sit eight points back of a Western Conference Wild Card spot.

"I liked our effort on the trip, I think we're striding in the right direction," Gudas said. "We're playing meaningful games and playing well against good teams. There are a lot of positives to take, but it's unfortunate [to lose in Buffalo]. We had a chance to get two points and that's why it stings more. We've got a quick turnaround and a big game Thursday."

Anaheim's lineup will need another change up front with winger Robby Fabbri sidelined by an upper-body injury. The Ducks recalled Sam Colangelo from San Diego Thursday, and the 23-year-old skated alongside Isac Lundestrom and Cutter Gauthier at the team's morning skate. Colangelo leads the Gulls with 19 goals in 38 AHL games this season.

The missed two points in Buffalo kept Anaheim six back from tonight's opponent, the Vancouver Canucks - who currently hold the conference's final playoff position. That gap grew to eight points last night, as the Canucks snapped a two-game skid with a 3-2 OT win over the Kings on winger Connor Garland's game-winning goal.

"I saw [Filip Chytil] going around the net, and we tried that against Detroit, and ended up in our net," Garland said. "So, thought we'll shoot this one and it seemed like a good spot, so, nice play by [Quinn Hughes]. We had a chance on the rush, it was good play by their defense and then just re-attack. It's hard to score four-on-four, so it's a good play by the group out there."

The Canucks welcomed back captain Quinn Hughes for the first time in since late January. Hughes tallied an assist in 21:38 of ice-time, extending his point streak to nine games.

“I had to be smart too, even just tonight, knowing where my body was after the game right now, I definitely feel confident in the fact that I took the time that I needed," Hughes said. "So, hopefully [it’s] smooth sailing from here on out."

The Canucks are fourth in the Pacific Division, currently holding the second Western Conference Wild Card spot.