The Ducks will play the penultimate game of their 2022-23 schedule tonight, hosting the division rival Vancouver Canucks on Fan Appreciation Night at Honda Center.
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Preview: Ducks Host Fan Appreciation Night as LaCombe Makes NHL Debut
In celebration of Ducks fans, the night will feature several fan activations from pregame all the way through the final horn, including a prize scratcher to the first 10,000 fans, an Official Fan Appreciation Night Jersey giveaway, discounted orange apparel and much more. For more details on Fan Appreciation Night, click here.
The special moments won't just happen off the ice though as rookie Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe will make his NHL debut tonight, one day after signing his first professional hockey contract.
LaCombe helped the University of Minnesota to this year's NCAA Hockey National Championship Game, earning second Team All Big-Ten honors and leading Golden Gophers defensemen in scoring for the third straight year.
The left-shot rookie will skate alongside Kevin Shattenkirk and wear #60.
Despite earning standings points in both ends of a weekend back-to-back, the Ducks will still be looking to snap an 11-game winless skid after OT setbacks to the Coyotes and Avalanche.
"When you're in a season like this, you're looking for development of your young players first," head coach Dallas Eakins said. "They've had good development. Every one of our younger guys has gotten better, We're going to be well certified in the future.
"Our veteran players, a guy like [Frank Vatrano] has a career year in points. Cam Fowler [has] a career year in points. [Adam Henrique] comes back and he's got 20 [goals]. Troy Terry continues to be our best player and continues to improve, so there's a lot going on. Quietly, that is really going to pay off for our future. Going through this year, it's always the same thing.
"Adverse situations during a season like this, they're not fun when you're in it. But down the road, you become extremely grateful for that adversity. You learn great lessons along the way. No different than that team over there. Five or six years ago, they finished 34 games under .500. And look at them now. Although it's hard to go through, it is necessary."
On that note, Sunday's game did include another NHL debut on Anaheim's blueline as the Ducks continue to usher young players into the lineup late in the season: 22-year-old Drew Helleson. Acquired last season from Colorado at the NHL trade deadline, Helleson debuted against the club that drafted him, tallying two shots and one hit in 13:30 of ice-time.
"I thought he did really well," Eakins said. "I thought he was super calm. He made really simple plays, just moving the puck forward. He was quick to make contact in our own zone. I thought he looked really comfortable out there. Tha was a really good night for him. It's always special when a kid's playing his very first game. Another glimmer of hope for our future."
"Extremely emotional," Helleson said. "It feels so good to finally be here. It's tough, the way it ended and the nerves were crazy at the beginning. Once you get settled in, it just turns into a hockey game."
Helleson will play his second game tonight against the Canucks, who come to Honda Center on the second half of their final back-to-back after suffering a 3-0 loss last night to the Kings.
"Just the goals didn't come tonight," Vancouver forward Sheldon Dries told NHL.com. "Give their goalie credit, he played well...There's energy to go around. We just got to find a way to capitalize."
The Canucks (36-37-7, 79 points) will miss the postseason for the third straight year, currently sixth in the Pacific Division.
