On Monday night at Honda Center, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the San Jose Sharks for the first time this exhibition season and in their fifth of seven overall preseason games.
The Ducks iced a squad nearly full of NHL-caliber players that will likely closely resemble their opening night roster.
The Sharks, on the other hand, sent a team mostly consisting of AHL players, not one of which was over 30 years old. It was a tale of two rosters, and the Ducks were expected to control play from puck drop.
Ville Husso got the start for the Ducks and stopped 22 of 24 shots, not allowing many second-chance opportunities and working to find pucks through traffic.
Opposite Husso, Jakub Skarek got the start for the Sharks and stopped 13 of 16 shots before he was pulled in a scheduled goalie switch halfway through the second period. Gabriel Carriere entered the game in relief and saved all 14 shots he saw off Ducks sticks.
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Once again, it is preseason, but for this game especially, any statement surrounding it should be taken with a grain of salt.
That said, here are my takeaways from this game:
Chris Kreider-The Ducks have been starved for a true netfront difference-maker, especially on the power play, and thatâ€s where Kreider earns his money. He instinctively knows how goalies move when tracking pucks throughout the offensive zone and reacts accordingly to always remain in their field of vision.
His battling ability was on display in this game, as he consistently won pucks back that were shot and deflected below the goal line to extend zone time substantially, an underrated but impactful quality.
Cycle-Since the start of camp, coaches have implemented a cycle system in the offensive zone built on constant player and puck movement from all five skaters on the ice. Rather than continuous efforts to move pucks from low to high, followed by a shot, and an attempt to win an ensuing board battle, forwards run give-and-gos up the wall to defensemen, who jump to the middle or switch with their d-partner to create one-timer looks.
There are elongated sequences where forwards remain high at the blueline, weaving while defenseman remain low after shifting in efforts to draw defenders well out of position.
“Just kept it simple,†Nikita Nesterenko said after the game. “Got the puck in, trying to create energy for the other lines, tie their D up. I think every like was rolling. Leoâ€s line played incredible. Itâ€s fun to watch those guys.â€
Leo Carlsson-This was a game that Carlsson was expected to dominate while implementing some of the aspects of his game that needed refining in the past. He didnâ€t disappoint. He displayed vision, patience, and anticipation skills with the puck on his stick heâ€d only shown flashes of to this point in his career. This game may have solidified Kreider a spot on his left wing for the foreseeable future with the way they consistently found each other in dangerous areas of the ice.
Beckett Sennecke-Sennecke was one of the few players for the Ducks in this game who could stand to gain a lot. This was the most dynamic heâ€d been all preseason and displayed true game-breaking potential with the kind of quick strike offense that teams crave. Whether itâ€s a pure strength factor or if he needs to tweak his approach, the next step in his progression will be to enter battles more efficiently and come away from them with the puck with greater frequency.
“I thought he didn’t play a lot, but every time he was out there, he was a threat & he was dangerous,†Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “He was fun to watch, and on every given night, it could be a different situation. He gives you a lot of versatility as a wild card player.â€
The Ducks will head to San Jose to take on the Sharks again on Wednesday night for their sixth of seven preseason games.
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