The Ducks are back from the holiday break tonight with a matchup against one of the NHL's hottest teams, hosting the division rival Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.
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Tonight's game features Come out and Play Night at Honda Center, part of the Ducks' and Honda Center's partnership with The Offspring, the world-renowned band hailing from Orange County. In 2024 the collaboration celebrates Honda Center and the Ducks commemorating three decades of existence and The Offspring’s 30th anniversary of their album SMASH. Come Out and Play Night, named after The Offspring’s hit and a Ducks favorite pump-up song, will include appearances from The Offspring band members, limited-edition Brewery X beer cans and exclusive The Offspring x Ducks co-branded merchandise. The night will also include The Offspring doing the ceremonial puck drop before the game, photos ops around Honda Center, music created in partnership with The Offspring and more surprises.
On the ice, Anaheim gets back to action tonight after its bye week and All-Star Break, which saw winger and Ducks leading scorer Frank Vatrano shine in Toronto. The first time All-Star scored twice in the midseason classic, all in front of his friends and family.
"It was awesome, such a great experience," Vatrano said. "To spend it with my family and friends made it a great weekend.
"I wish we won our game (and advanced to the final), but to play with the best players in the league is very special."
Vatrano and the Ducks returned to practice Thursday afternoon at Great Park Ice, hoping to build on a stretch before the break that saw the team earn points in each of its final four games.
"We were working within our game and executing how we want to play," veteran forward Adam Henrique said. "We weren't worrying too much about the other team and were trying to take advantage of those last few games before the break. Some teams can tend to wander a little bit there and I thought we did a good job of staying on track.
"Now, we're on the other end of it. Playing a team who has already come [out of the break] hard and had a few days on the ice. We're going to have to be on our A-game."
Joining the Ducks on the ice at practice Thursday was rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, who has not played since suffering a separated shoulder one month ago in Nashville. Mintyukov appeared to be a full participant in the spirited skate, but his status for tonight's game has yet to be announced.
Mintyukov skated in each of Anaheim's first 40 games this season, leading Ducks blueliners in assists (17) and points (19) and co-leading in goals (two) through that span. At the time of the injury, he ranked second among all NHL rookie blueliners in assists and tied-for-second in scoring.
Regardless of who slots in on the backend for the Ducks, a sturdy defensive effort will be needed to take down the explosive Oilers - who have scored 15 goals in the first two matchups this season.
"We have to try to limit opportunities," Henrique said. "Can't turn the puck over and can't shoot yourself in the foot. No self-inflicted wounds. They're a team with a high-powered offense, but we can't feed that. We have to play a smart, structured game."
Edmonton saw its NHL-best 16-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night against the defending champs in Las Vegas, ending an unbeaten streak that was tied for the second-longest in league history. Oilers captain Connor McDavid gave the team a 1-0 lead in the first period on a shorthanded goal, but three unanswered by the Golden Knights would seal the deal in a highly competitive game between the two rivals.
“We had a lot of things go right obviously,” McDavid told NHL.com's Paul Delos Santos. “Winning 16 straight, you have to have things go well and you have to get some bounces. And we got some bounces, but I thought we went out and earned our bounces and earned our luck. Tonight, we didn’t go out and get it. Credit to them, they make a shot and they’re able to clog it up enough to get it done.”
Added head coach Kris Knoblauch, "I liked a lot of things about our game, unfortunately we came up a little short. I think the big turning point was the late goal they scored in the first period, and then for us it was just missed opportunities, whether it was just goal posts or their goalie coming up big or missing an empty net. I think the chances were there. I think it was one of our better games that we played in the last two or three weeks.”
Edmonton (29-16-1, 59 points) sits third in the Pacific Division, 14 points back of first-place Vancouver.
