The Anaheim Ducks return to Honda Center after a split road trip to host the Utah Mammoth in the first of a three-game homestand. Anaheim enters with a 16-9-1 record following a 4-1 win over St. Louis, while Utah sits at 12-12-3 amid a four-game losing streak. Puck drop is set for 7:22 p.m. PT on TNT.
The Ducks are coming off a strong 4-1 victory against the St. Louis Blues on Monday, marking their first win over the Blues since December 2021. Pavel Mintyukov scored one goal, with the other three coming from Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, and Chris Kreider. McTavish and Kreider extended their point streaks to four games, while Carlsson continued his seven-game point streak.
Head coach Joel Quenneville announced that Ryan Strome will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. "(Ryan Poehling) came back in our lineup and really helped us down the middle with some speed," Quenneville said. "We’re looking for pace. I think at the same time, it’s a tough situation scratching guys like that, it’s not easy. But at the same time, we had a good conversation and we’re going to keep ourselves ready knowing we do have some depth in the middle."
With goaltenders Lukas Dostal and Petr Mrazek sidelined for two to three weeks, Ville Husso will start in net. Quenneville praised the team's depth: "Organizationally, we feel very fortunate to have the depth we do at the department... It’s an important stretch for us and I thought he delivered a couple great games for us right off the bat."
The teams last met on November 17, when the Ducks won 3-2 in overtime. They will face off again in Utah in March. The Mammoth are in the midst of a six-game road trip and recently lost 6-3 to the Sharks. Logan Cooley leads Utah with 14 goals and 23 points, while Mikhail Sergachev and Clayton Keller each have 14 assists.
Forward Troy Terry highlighted the challenges: "They’ve got some forwards that can really make you pay if you turn the puck over against them. For us, we want to play fast and not let them get set in their controlled and speed game. Limit their puck touches off the rush … and just try to play in their end. I think that’s where we’re most successful against them."