Following a game on Monday where the Anaheim Ducks rescued two points from the jaws of defeat to end their three-game losing streak, they hosted the Boston Bruins in their second home game in a string of six.
Once the highest scoring team in the NHL and currently the second, the Ducks’ offense has dried a bit of late, having only mustered six regulation goals in their previous four games, with hopes of turning that around in this game.
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Game #20: Ducks vs. Bruins Gameday Preview (11/19/25)
Takeaways from the Ducks 3-2 OT Win over the Mammoth
The Bruins were playing their first game of a four-game road trip, having lost two of their last three, but having won eight of their last ten. They were without the services of regular roster players Elias Lindholm, Casey Mittelstadt, Viktor Arvidsson, and Charlie McAvoy.
The Ducks went with the same lineup that earned them their win on Monday, still without Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling, and with Pavel Mintyukov serving as the team’s healthy scratch.
Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks in net and stopped 36 of 39 shots. Dostal was opposed by Joonas Korpisalo in Boston’s crease, who saved 29 of 33.
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After a few early dominant shifts and two early goals in the first period, Boston controlled possession for the majority of the game at 5v5. Anaheim let the Bruins back into the game, heading into the locker room after the second period with a 3-2 lead and allowing a tying goal on the power play nearing the midway point of the third.
Anaheim recovered well in the third, massively outpossessing and outchancing Boston to the point where they were able to take the lead late in the game on a clever breakout and cycle sequence that resulted in the game-winning goal from Ian Moore. Dostal put the team on his back early, and the Ducks capitalized when they had to with some pertinent in-game adjustments.
Defensive Zone Coverage: There seems to be a mandate for net front defensemen, when engaging attackers screening in the low slot, to do their best to eliminate sticks, but prioritize fronting their opponents to block those point shots. When successful, it allows the Ducks better odds to get to loose pucks and build breakout efforts with possession. When unsuccessful and pucks get through, the weak side defender can become outnumbered low and it typically results in a quality scoring chance against. It’s a double-edged sword, but with more reps, they seem to be becoming more effective in those scenarios.
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Early in this game, when Boston was cycling for extended periods at a time, they often found an F3 or an activated defenseman in soft ice in the high slot with a pass from the perimeter. With the way the Ducks’ coverage system is built, more responsibility falls on wingers to anticipate, cover, and disrupt that area of the ice.
LaCombe-Helleson: the Ducks’ top pair played 18:43 together at 5v5, the majority of which was against Boston’s top line and elite winger David Pastrnak. With LaCombe and Helleson on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks held a 9-7 shots on goal advantage, a 24-17 shot attempts advantage, and 61.9% of the expected goals share.
Speaking of double-edged swords, LaCombe has utilized his stick-checking ability far more this season, often subverting typical defensive fundamentals. At times, he misreads and becomes too puck-focused and reaches, which leaves him susceptible to dangles. When he’s able to strip puck carriers cleanly, he can turn pucks up ice and lead rushes the other way.
Helleson, on the other side, does everything by the book when it comes to defensive fundamentals. His gaps, angling, and sealing have been his most positively impactful traits and have become an asset to the team as a whole.
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Mason McTavish/Chris Kreider/Alex Killorn: After a tough stretch, McTavish had the bounce-back game he needed, contributing two primary assists and putting a puck in the back of the net that was overturned due to goaltender interference. A key component of the Ducks turning around their possession numbers in the third period was the unheralded efforts from this trio in the small areas of the ice.
They not only extended offensive zone time, but were able to manipulate defenders, drawing them in with their puck skills, fending them off, and finding teammates to elongate cycles. They made clever plays to move pucks up ice and build plays with their speedier linemates.
The Ducks will have a quick turnaround, as they’ll host the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.
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