Ducks' Vatrano returns home for child birth, Lundestrom day-to-day

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Frank Vatrano, the  Ducks’ leading goal scorer last season, will miss Friday's game in Colorado to  support his wife ahead of the expected birth of their second child.

Meanwhile, forward Isac Lundestrom is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team announced. Jansen Harkins was called up from the AHL San Diego Gulls as the Ducks (2-1-0, 4 points) take on the struggling Avalanche (0-4-0, 0 points).

Vatrano earned his first point of the season in the Ducks’ 5-4 overtime win over Utah in the team’s home opener on Wednesday. The 10-year NHL veteran added a secondary assist on Troy Terry’s opening goal against Utah. 

Vatrano did not register a shot on goal on eight shot attempts in 15:49 of ice time.

Vatrano was Anaheim’s leading scorer last season with a team-high 37 goals and 60 points. Both numbers were career highs. Vatrano, in his third season with Anaheim, also represented the Ducks in the All-Star Game.

Lundestrom took a high hit in the third period Wednesday and did not return. The 24-year-old Swede seemingly received a shoulder to the head behind the Ducks' net and went down to the ice for a couple of minutes.

Lundestrom scored Anaheim's first goal of the season that held up as the eventual game winner last Saturday in San Jose. Lundestrom has centered the fourth line for the Ducks this season with a 42% mark on face-offs and nearly 15 minutes of ice time per game.

Harkins will make his Ducks debut Friday after playing four years in Winnipeg and 45 games last season in Pittsburgh. He was one of Anaheim’s few free-agent signings this offseason.

Through two games with the Gulls, Harkins has one goal and one assist from six shots on goal. Harkins has not scored an NHL goal since Dec. 22, 2022.