The season started well for the Anaheim Ducks, with four wins in their first five games. Since then, however, it’s taken a turn in the other direction, with just one win in their past seven outings (1-5-1).
They’ll look to break out of that funk when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
The Ducks’ most recent setback came Tuesday in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks, who had lost 10 in a row (0-9-1).
Anaheim scored three times in the second period to take a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Shortly after Vancouver narrowed it to 4-2 midway through the third, A.J. Greer scored his second of the night to restore the three-goal advantage, but the Canucks tallied three times in less than six minutes to force overtime before converting on the power play with 11 seconds left in the extra frame.
“That can’t happen,” Ducks captain Mikael Granlund said. “It’s unacceptable, and we’ve got to do a better job closing out these games.”
Tuesday’s tilt marked the seventh straight game that Anaheim has allowed at least three goals and the sixth time it has given up at least four.
“That was a terrible loss,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We were up 5-2. We were in, not a pretty good spot, we should have sealed the win.
“… We carelessly make plays senselessly. I think that’s where we’ve got to be smarter. We’ve got to play smarter as a team, and we’ve got to be doing the little things right, especially at those times of the game, where they’ve got to manufacture.”
The Ducks have allowed 43 goals thus far. They have allowed 18 goals in the third period.
The Sabres, meanwhile, head into Thursday’s contest fresh off their most complete performance of the season so far. Colten Ellis made 23 saves and his teammates put forth a tight defensive effort in front of him in a 2-0 win against the San Jose Sharks.
“I thought we had a lot bigger commitment to making sure some shots didn’t get through,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “When you start seeing that desperation to keep the puck out of your net, you start winning games.”
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Sabres, who were 0-1-2 during the skid. Defenseman Olen Zellweger scored 50 seconds into the second period to put Buffalo ahead 1-0 and Zach Benson tallied an empty-net goal late in the third.
It was the first time this season that the Sabres held a lead after two periods.
“I think this was a step in the right direction defensively. We competed hard today,” Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin said. “We played a team game, and we just got to build off this and more offensive stuff will come.”
Thursday’s game will be Zellweger’s return to Anaheim to face his former team for the first time. The Sabres acquired the smooth-skating defenseman via trade from the Ducks on June 26 for a second-round pick and forward prospect Anton Wahlberg.
“Just another game, but definitely gonna be cool to go back there and play,” Zellweger said.
