Ducks Game shifts to Anaheim with series tied 1-1
The ducks game moves to Anaheim tonight with the first-round series tied 1-1 and the Ducks looking to use home ice to take control. Puck drop is set for 7 p. m. PT at Honda Center, where the Ducks will play their first playoff game at the building in eight years. The ducks game comes after Anaheim’s 6-4 win in Edmonton on Wednesday and brings a clear chance to swing the series in front of a home crowd.
Home ice brings a fast reset
The Ducks return to Honda Center with momentum after evening the series and showing they can recover when the game tilts against them. Cutter Gauthier led the way with three points, including the opening goal and the late winner with just under five minutes left, while Ryan Poeling scored twice and added a short-handed goal. Anaheim also held Edmonton scoreless on four power-play chances, a key edge in the ducks game so far.
The Ducks had a two-goal lead disappear in Game 2, but they did not fold. Alex Killorn said the team wants to carry the last-game momentum into home ice and feed off the crowd. Joel Quenneville said the building is expected to be loud and that his group understands the meaning of playoff hockey returning to Honda Center.
Special teams and structure are shaping the series
Through two games, the Ducks have controlled the special-teams battle. Anaheim’s power play has converted at 60 per cent, while Edmonton has not scored on the man advantage and sits in a deadlock for last place in that category through the opening two games. The Ducks also added a short-handed goal in Game 2, giving them a strong special-teams margin that has helped define the series pace.
Edmonton entered the matchup wanting a lower-event, defensively responsible style, but Anaheim has had more control through 120 minutes. The scoring margin is 9-8 for Anaheim, which fits a faster, more open game than the one Edmonton said it wanted to play. Ray Ferraro said the issue comes down to execution, especially in the defensive zone, and added that Edmonton must stop mismanaging the puck and commit more firmly on defense.
Injuries and lineup notes remain part of the picture
Joel Quenneville said Anaheim’s lineup will stay the same for Friday’s game, with Radko Gudas still out because of a lower-body injury. Troy Terry missed morning skate for maintenance but is in. On the Edmonton side, Jason Dickinson is a game-time decision, while Adam Henrique will miss the two games in Anaheim after not traveling with the team.
The Ducks also have another advantage that matters in a series tied this tight: their home record. They went 24-13-4 at Honda Center in the regular season, and the team is now trying to turn that comfort into a series lead. The ducks game has already shown how quickly momentum can shift, and Anaheim will try to make the building itself part of the answer.
What comes next
The next turn in the ducks game will come down to whether Anaheim can keep its special teams sharp and whether Edmonton can clean up the defensive lapses that have let the Ducks dictate stretches of play. If the Ducks carry over the same resilience, they will have a direct path to putting pressure on Edmonton again. If the Oilers correct the details, the series could tighten immediately, but for now the ducks game belongs to Anaheim’s chance to seize control at home.
