The Ducks migrated north to Calgary, where they’ll play one of two remaining meetings with the Flames after losing both previous matchups this season.
They nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, transmuting a 3-1 second-intermission lead into a tie at the end of regulation, thanks to loosened play for much of the final 40 minutes.
But Mason McTavish, who assisted on all three goals in regulation, delivered the shootout winner to break out the brooms on San Jose, whom the Ducks beat in all four clashes during 2024-25.
It moved the Ducks back to .500 and while they were on the cusp of mathematical elimination from the playoffs Wednesday morning, when their magic number was just two to be disqualified, they have stayed motivated. Since a trade deadline when they were defined as modest sellers, they’ve gone 6-5-1, a .542 points percentage.
“You can’t really control what all other teams are doing and whatnot. You kind of just focus on what we’re doing as the Anaheim Ducks,” Trevor Zegras said. “The goal for the rest of the season with a winning record, and I think that’s something we can all get behind.”
Zegras has seven points in his past six games and 12 since March 1, having accumulated only 16 to that point after being limited by injury. Cutter Gauthier’s second half has been night-and-day from his first. McTavish and Leo Carlsson have co-led the Ducks in scoring both since the 4 Nations Face-Off break concluded and since March 8, the day after the trade deadline.
Carlsson even got to design his own pair of Vans sneakers in collaboration with the Ducks last month, as did goalie Lukáš Dostál, who made his third consecutive start Tuesday, two of which were wins.
“In the second period, he was under siege and he did a great job,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said.
A contention about the Ducks’ build and Cronin’s coaching had been a stagnation or regression of young talent. But with defenseman Jackson LaCombe being one of – if not the most – improved players in the NHL this season and the second-half surge for those forwards as well as call-up Sam Colangelo, that critique has dissipated.
In Calgary, that group will confront an opponent with its own rising stars, like first-time 20-goal scorer Matt Coronato and Calder Trophy candidate Dustin Wolf.
Coronato has four point streaks of three or more games this season and in those games the Flames are 11-0-4. He had two goals and two assists in two January wins over the Ducks.
Wolf, a former Junior King following a southward relocation from Gilroy, Calif., has been lights out at the Saddledome. His .921 save percentage at home places him fourth in the NHL among goalies with 20 or more appearances and his 2.33 goals-against average ranks seventh.
Ducks at Calgary
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
TV: Victory+, KCOP (Ch. 13)
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