Ducks Launch Six-Game Homestand Tonight Against Utah

The Ducks (11-6-1) return to Honda Center for a six-game stretch as they take on the Utah Mammoth (10-7-1). Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. PT and will air exclusively on Victory+.

Anaheim returns home after falling to the Wild, 2-0. It was the team’s third-straight loss, all of which happened on the road.

Head coach Joel Qunnville called the last three games a “tough trip” and said while he looks at each game as its own, there are things his team can improve on from the trip as a whole.

“We left some points on the table each and every night,” Quenneville said. “You could argue about this or that and what was the difference each night. But I think that some of the plays were self-inflicted wounds, we took some unnecessary penalties in that game we gotta learn from each game.”

Returning to the lineup tonight for the Ducks is captain Radko Gudas who’s been sidelined with a lower body injury sustained against the Bruins last month.

Quenneville is excited to have the team’s captain back in the lineup for what he brings both on and off the ice.

“You’ve got experience, you’ve got leadership as a captain,” he said. “Him coming back, he brings a presence on the ice, his physicality. I think we can be harder in certain areas and I think he can give some of that in that area as well.”

As for Gudas, he said he’s “feeling great” and can’t wait to rejoin his teammates tonight.

“It took a little longer than I thought it was going to take but I’m really excited to come back,” Gudas said. “Everybody did a pretty good job getting me back up to speed so I can chip in and help the guys out and win some more games.”

The Mammoth haven’t played since Friday night, dropping that game in overtime to the Islanders. Nick Schmaltz leads the Mammoth with 10 goals and 21 points. Clayton Keller, Mikhail Sergachev, and Schmaltz each have 11 assists, good for the most on the team.

Gudas called Utah a “highly skilled team” and Quenneville echoed his sentiments saying this is a group the Ducks “can’t underestimate.”

“They’re a quick-strike team, they’ve got a lot of quick players,” Quenneville said. “They’ve got quick sticks. They make plays in thin areas. They’ve got speed. They can do a lot of things offensively and they’ve gotten off to a real good start here.”