Anaheim's first trek of the year has not gone according to plan, beginning with three straight losses to New Jersey and both New York clubs. The Ducks now sit 1-3-0 on the season.
The Ducks led 2-0 after one period in New Jersey on Tuesday, but four straight Devils goals led to a comeback win for the home side.
"As the game went on, I thought we made some tired mistakes," head coach Dallas Eakins said. "We didn't manage their pushes or their pressure, and you've got to learn how to do that in back-to-back games."
Anaheim hopes a trip to Boston is the recipe for turning it around, revisiting an arena in which the club has enjoyed plenty of recent success. The Ducks have won seven of their last 10 games vs. the Bruins (7-3-0), earned points in eight of their last 10 meetings in Boston (7-2-1) and swept a two-game season series a year ago (2-0-0).
However, there will be a familiar face patrolling the Boston blue line this time as longtime Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm will play his first game against his original NHL team. Selected by the Ducks with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Lindholm played his first 582 career games with Anaheim, earning 57-165=222 points with a +74 rating. One of three defenseman in club history to record 200 points as a Duck, Lindholm ranks third all-time among Ducks blueliners in points, goals, assists and blocked shots (743), and fourth in appearances.
Lindholm, who joined Boston in a trade deadline deal last March, leads Bruins defenders in average ice-time (24:18) in the absence of injured stalwart Charlie McAvoy.
Despite a surprising offseason coaching change, where the club replaced bench boss Bruce Cassidy with former Stars coach Jim Montgomery, the Bruins are off to another great start of the season with three wins in their first four games.
The Ducks will have to keep a particular close eye on explosive winger David Pastrnak, who already has eight points on the season. Pastrnak has torched the Ducks in the past, with 12 points in 12 career meetings, including a four-goal game back in 2019.
The Ducks and Bruins will play the Southern California half of their two-game season series on Jan. 8 at Honda Center.
