Preview: Ducks Look to Stay Hot, Host Blackhawks Tonight at Honda Center

The Ducks will cap a short two-game homestand with another chance to pull closer to the Western Conference playoff picture, tonight hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Honda Center.

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Anaheim enters play Saturday coming off maybe its biggest win of the season, a 5-2 comeback victory over the division rival Vancouver Canucks, who currently hold the conference's second and final Wild Card position. The Ducks trailed 2-0 after the first period Thursday night before responding with five straight goals, earning the club's sixth multi-goal comeback win of the season and extending its home winning streak to five games.

"The first period wasn’t pretty, but I thought we had really good energy and good legs so I think that was a good sign for a team coming off a tough road trip," forward Ryan Strome said. "I think it was just a matter of executing a little bit better, just kind of playing a little bit north-south...I think it was just simplifying our game in the second and third and we just kept rolling them over.

"Everyone did a great job. The bench was really ready to go. Everyone was on their toes and it seemed like every line was generating more and more momentum."

"I was worried about the start of the game and a little it of the sloppiness," head coach Greg Cronin said. "But to their credit, [the players] responded to the messages. We played more of a direct game, north-south, and our legs started to come alive. I thought that allowed us to get a lot more tight gaps on the puck."

Needing a response in the middle frame, it was Anaheim's most consistent line, Strome, Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry, leading the charge offensively. The trio finished with a combined three goals and seven points - all stemming from an intermission decision to focus on the basics of what makes their line successful.

"We made a mistake on the second goal and I think we were pissed off about it," Strome said. "I think with us, there’s a big trust factor. I think we’re all a little ticked off after the first period and I could sense in our body language everyone was a little frustrated. I think we all felt we had really good legs tonight and just the puck wasn’t bouncing our way, and we just stuck with it.

"It was actually Franky that said, “let’s just play north-south and let our skill take over." I think Frank’s goal, just a couple bad shots around the net, just keep getting pucks on there and then we make a play. On [my goal], a good play off of a breakout. I just think when we simplify our game, same with our team, we have success. Sometimes we get a little bit too east-west and carry the puck back and we kind of do a little loopty loop. I think when we play north-south we’re a good line. We got back to that and had a good result."

With the win, Anaheim's eighth in its last 11 games (8-2-1), the Ducks improved to 26-25-7 on the season and moved within six points of the Canucks on the playoff cut line.

"To a man, they're very excited to be in this position," Cronin said. "We're playing meaningful games and trying to make the playoffs...Everybody has the same goal. You want to make the playoffs. With the standings, you get a daily reminder of where you sit. It's exciting."

Anaheim now turns its attention to a Chicago team still in the early stages of its rebuild, now on a five-game losing skid after a 7-5 defeat in Vegas two nights ago. The Blackhawks continue to usher their young core into the NHL though, as Frank Nazar, Wyatt Kaiser, Ethan Del Mastro and Colton Dach have all joined 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard in Chicago this season.

The Ducks and Hawks have split the first two meetings of a three-game season series thus far, with both sides earning a win on the other's home ice. Bedard has earned five points in the two games and owns 11 career points in five matchups against Anaheim.

Chicago (17-35-7, 41 points) sits eighth in the Central Division, 24 points back of a Wild Card berth.