The Ducks (36-25-3) continue their Canadian road trip with a visit to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs (27-27-11).
Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. PT and will air on KCOP-13 and Victory+.
Anaheim gained a three-point lead over Edmonton and Las Vegas in the division with its 4-1 win over Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
Three Ducks players, Ryan Poehling, Alex Killorn, and Jackson LaCombe, each had a goal and assist in the win, while Tim Washe tacked on the fourth score.
“We’ve got a good mix, we’ve got good balance,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “We know we can score goals, and tonight is a good thing to bounce back to, about knowing that we can check too.”
“We’re doing it together, that’s the biggest thing,” Poehling said. “It’s the consistency that we’ve brought. Everyone’s showing it throughout the lineup … It’s a full effort from the team and I think that’s what kind of makes it so dangerous.”
Tonight’s game is a homecoming for Beckett Sennecke who grew up in Toronto. Sennecke currently co-leads NHL rookies in scoring and Quenneville shared what he’s done to carve out a key role within this group.
“I think he’s progressed every single day,” Quenneville said. “I think he’s gotten stronger, probably feels more comfortable with his game. He’s playing against strong guys, but I think he’s shown he can hold his own in tight areas … He’s learning on the job, but you’ve gotta love his attitude and the way he approaches coming to the game every day.”
The Maple Leafs have lost eight games in a row (0-6-2) coming into tonight’s matchup with the Ducks. William Nylander, who currently has a six-game point streak, leads the team in assists (38) and points (60) while Auston Matthews paces the club in goals (26).
Despite the Leafs’ current slump, Ducks players know they aren’t to be taken lightly and shared what their own group needs to do to find success for a second win in a row.
“They’ve got a lot of skill, if we get back to playing simple, I think that’s going to be our best chance to win,” Poehling said. “These guys have high talent and if you give them easy access to free plays, they make you pay for it. So for us, [we need to] keep it simple and kind of play behind them is the biggest thing.”
This is the first of two meetings between teams this season. They’ll reconvene in Anaheim on March 30 for the second game.
Drew Helleson returns to the lineup for Anaheim while Troy Terry and new acquisition John Carlson remain out.
