Recap: Ducks Comeback Bid Falls Just Short in San Diego

The Ducks saw their undefeated start to the preseason come to an end tonight in America's Finest City, falling 4-3 to the rival Los Angeles Kings at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

NHL GAMECENTER | DUCKS STREAM

With the loss, Anaheim now sits 3-1-0 for the 2023 preseason with four exhibition games still to play before opening night in Vegas.

Andrew Agozzino led Anaheim offensively with a two-point night, as both he and Max Jones scored power-play goals in the setback. Nathan Gaucher also scored for Anaheim, while Glenn Gawdin, Brett Leason and Jackson LaCombe registered assists.

Making his first appearance of the preseason, John Gibson made 11 saves before leaving the game in the second period with an injury. Calle Clang played the final 31 minutes, stopping all 12 shots he faced.

Alex Laferriere, Martin Chromiak, Samuel Fagemo and Hayden Hodgson scored for the Kings, who now sit at 3-1-1 in the preseason. Erik Portillo earned the win in net, turning aside 26-of-29 Anaheim shots.

Los Angeles claimed the night's first lead just over five minutes in as Laferriere finished off a backdoor pass from Brandt Clarke on a 3-on-2 rush.

Anaheim answered with a power-play goal later in the period, courtesy of a relentless effort by a former San Diego Gull. With Samuel Helenius in the box for high-sticking, Jones crashed the net hard digging for a loose puck and didn't stop until he shoved the rebound and a Kings defender over the goal line all together.

The goal marked Jones' first point of the preseason. 

The Kings would go back ahead before the end of the opening period though, scoring twice in 52 seconds to take a 3-1 lead back to the locker room.

Chromiak scored the first with just under two minutes to play in the first period, accepting a stretch pass at neutral ice from T.J. Tynan and beating Gibson to the blocker side on the subsequent breakaway.

Fagemo scored on the next shift, getting a fortutitous bounce on his cross-ice pass, which hit the stick of Tyson Hinds in front and changed course past Gibson.

LA pushed the lead to three early in the second on another Ducks defensive breakdown, losing track of Hayden Hodgson enough to give the young Kings winger a breakaway that he finished through the legs of Gibson.

Gibson left the game with 11:20 to play in the second period after a scrum in front of the Anaheim net. 

Agozzino brought the Ducks back within two late in the second with another power-play goal, as the veteran forward found free space in the slot and chipped home a feed from Leason behind the net.

With assists, Leason (2-1=3) and LaCombe (2-1=3) both have three points in as many preseason games.

Gaucher made it a one-goal game four minutes into the final period of regulation with Anaheim's first 5-on-5 goal of the evening. As LA tried to evacuate out of their defensive zone, McLaughlin intercepted a Hodgson pass right in front of the net and set up Gaucher, who had all the time in the world to beat Portillo with a forehand shot from in tight.

One of Anaheim's two first-round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft, Gaucher will begin his professional career this fall with either Anaheim or San Diego. He's tallied two points (1-1=2) in three preseason contests.

McLaughlin's assist was his first in an NHL preseason setting.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, the comeback bid at their home away from home would come just short, as LA held on late in the third for a 4-3 win.

The Ducks continue their eight-game preseason schedule Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs.