The Ducks (41-29-5) return to Honda Center for a five-game homestand as they take on the Blues (31-31-12) in the first game of a back-to-back.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT and will air on KCOP-13 and Victory+.
Anaheim dropped its third in a row after giving up two goals in the final minutes of regulation to fall to the Sharks, 4-3, on Wednesday. Macklin Celebrini had four points on the night as well as the game-tying goal.
For a team that’s won in similar fashion so many times this season, having their third loss in a row end that way was certainly tough for Anaheim.
“First time all year in the third with a lead,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “It hurt. I thought we were doing a lot of good things in that game. I thought we checked well. I thought we played with a lead, with a purpose, and then all of a sudden, you give up a late, late goal and then they do it again before the buzzer. That hurt leaving a point or two on the board. But we’ve been fortunate to be on the other side of that equation almost all year. It’s a good lesson.”
Due to the loss and Edmonton winning on Thursday, the Ducks and Oilers are now tied atop the Pacific Division with 87 points, although Anaheim has the edge and still leads the division.
Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov and Radko Gudas remain out for tonight. Lukas Dostal will start in net per Quenneville.
Quenneville did say Gauthier is “moving better today” and is “questionable at best” for tomorrow’s matchup against the Flames. He missed the Sharks game with an upper-body injury sustained on Monday vs Toronto.
Tonight’s game against St. Louis will be Jacob Trouba’s 900th NHL contest. Ahead of tonight, he expressed gratitude for everyone involved in helping him get to this moment.
“It’s kind of what you dream of as a kid, just to play a long time in this league,” Trouba said. “A lot’s changed since the first game to 900. I’ve got kids now, how much life changes is fun. The journey goes on, there’s no real scripting it. It’s been enjoyable.”
The Blues close out their California road trip with tonight’s game before heading to Colorado on Sunday. The team is 0-1-1 on the trek most recently falling to the Kings in overtime on Wednesday.
Robert Thomas leads the club with 50 points (17 goals, 33 assists) and has four points in his last three games.
This is the third and final meeting between these teams this regular season. Each has a win to their name thus far.
