The Anaheim Ducks headed up the coast to San Jose for a preseason Sharks game at 7 p.m. PT, with the preseason already halfway finished and a mostly young lineup expected for Anaheim.
The Ducks entered the game after a 2-1 loss to Los Angeles, where Joel Quenneville said the team had some good opportunities but did not convert enough. He noted that there were not many high-quality scoring chances, but Anaheim still had several looks and worked hard even if the final result did not change.
That message fit a preseason game well. The Ducks have already gone 1-0-0 against the Sharks this preseason, but this meeting was more about giving players another chance to show where they fit than about the final score. For a group with several younger players in the lineup, those minutes can matter as the roster picture keeps taking shape.
Jayden Kurtz gets his first preseason game
One of the most notable pieces of lineup context came with Jayden Kurtz, who played his first preseason game for Anaheim. He was also assigned back to the USHL's Chicago Steel the same morning, making the night a short but meaningful stop with the Ducks.
Quenneville had a clear read on the player after seeing him at that level. He said it was the first time he had seen the 'Pro kid' play at that level, and he liked what he saw throughout camp. Quenneville pointed to Kurtz's pace, his ability in the draws, and the fact that he is smart and effective. He also said Kurtz was not intimidated by the pace of the game and showed real poise.
Kurtz kept his own approach simple, saying he tried not to overcomplicate anything and to make the play when it was there. For a young player in a preseason setting, that is usually the right idea, and it matched the tone of a Ducks roster that was built around giving prospects and depth players useful game action.
From Anaheim's perspective, the Sharks game was another checkpoint in a preseason that still had room for evaluation. The Ducks had already shown they could handle San Jose once, but this matchup was more about what individual players could do as the team kept sorting out roles before opening night.
