Preview: Ducks Open Five-Game Trip Tonight in Boston
Three nights after Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers earned his first career NHL head coaching victory while filling in for Dallas Eakins (COVID-19 protocol), fellow assistant Geoff Ward will take a turn as Anaheim's bench boss tonight.
Ward held a 36-26-5 record as Calgary's head coach from 2019-21, including a 2020 playoffs appearance. He's also served as a head coach in the AHL, ECHL and DEL (Germany).
The Ducks could inch closer to their full lineup tonight, with a few more players potentially able to return from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. All-Star winger Troy Terry and minutes leader Cam Fowler skated with the team in Boston, but their status for tonight's game remains unclear, as does that of defenseman Simon Benoit, who appears to be nearing a return after a four-game absence.
Josh Manson and Anthony Stolarz remain in the COVID-19 protocol while forwards Adam Henrique, Sonny Milano and Max Jones are on injured reserve.
The Ducks will look to build on a commanding 5-1 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning at Honda Center Friday night. Derek Grant scored twice, notching his fourth career multi-goal game, and John Gibson made 32 saves in one of his best performances of the season.
"I watched Gibby and heard a lot about Gibby, but you don't really appreciate what he does for a hockey club until you see him day in, day out," Stothers said. "We are a different team with Gibby in the crease."
Gibson will represent Anaheim at next month's All-Star Game for the third time in his nine-year NHL career. The Pittsburgh native is sixth among league netminders in minutes played and saves.
Anaheim enters play Monday night sitting tied for second in the Pacific Division in points (20-16-7, 47 points) and fourth by point percentage (.547). The Ducks have enjoyed a great home-ice advantage this year (13-7-4), but to make a playoff push in the second half they will have to find more success on the road (7-9-3).
Anaheim is making its first trip to Boston since October 2019 and will need to keep closer tabs on star Bruins winger David Pastrnak than it did that night, when the Czech native matched a Bruins record with four goals.
Pastrnak has 19-16=35 points in 38 games this season.
The Bruins host the Ducks to close a four-game homestand, firmly entrenched in a playoff race in a division that's quickly becoming quite top heavy. The Bruins are currently fourth in the Atlantic (24-12-2, 50 points), struggling to make up ground on Florida, Tampa Bay and Toronto despite an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games. Boston does hold an eight-point advantage, as well as four games-in-hand, on fifth-place Detroit.
The Bruins have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons.
Boston also recently got a mid-season boost in its goal crease, signing longtime Bruin Tuukka Rask to a one-year contract. Rask considered retirement following the 2020-21 season before deciding to rejoin the team in early January. The 34-year-old has played in 563 career NHL games, all in a Bruins sweater, and holds the club's all-time record for wins (308).
Anaheim and Boston will conclude their two-game season series on Mar. 1 at Honda Center.
