The Anaheim Ducks return home tonight for the second consecutive matchup against the Calgary Flames. The Ducks beat the Flames, 4-2, on Saturday night.
Although the Ducks controlled the majority of the game, they lost a few significant players due to injury. 2025 leading goal scorer Cutter Gauthier left with an upper body injury while Ryan Poehling left with a lower body injury.
Gauthier was designated as a day-to-day injury, and his absence from this morning's skate suggests he won't play tonight. Poehling was placed on the IR with an MCL sprain that will sideline him for 6-8 weeks.
Poehling, who scored a short-handed goal in the win against the Flames on Saturday, is one of the Ducks' best penalty-killing forwards. He had two shorthanded goals last season as well.
As a result of the injuries, the Ducks are calling up 2025 10th overall pick Roger McQueen. McQueen can slot in at center or right wing and is a dynamic scoring option. He has three goals in four games for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.
Nonetheless, the Ducks still deploy a few electric offensive engines. Center Leo Carlsson leads the Ducks with eight points in five games, including seven assists. Beckett Sennecke leads the Ducks with three goals.
Goaltender Ville Husso made his season debut in the first game against the Flames and put up a save percentage of .935 while stopping 29 of 31 shots. Husso gave starting goaltender Lukas Dostal a break on the back end of their road trip, but Dostal should be starting in net tonight.
Dostal is 3-1 with an .883 save percentage this season. His one loss against the Edmonton Oilers completely skewed an otherwise excellent start to the season. He gave up five goals on 17 shots against the Oilers, however in his other three games he allowed seven goals in 78 shots.
First Pick: Anaheim Ducks over 1.5 team total goals
Rundown: The Ducks average 3.4 goals per game and, despite losing Gauthier and Poehling, still have plenty of firepower in the lineup. The Flames are also not particularly good. They are 0-5 and they allow over five goals per game.
Second Pick: Leo Carlsson over 0.5 points
Rundown: With two offensive weapons gone, the Ducks will lean heavily on their top line. Carlsson will have Alex Killorn and Sennecke on his wings and offensive blue liner Jackson LaCombe at his disposal. Carlsson has also collected at-least one point in four out of five games. He has three multi-point games as well.