Ducks left wing Max Jones (right) controls the puck while Minnesota Wild’s right wing Mats Zuccarello (left) chases him in the second phase of Thursday’s game at the Honda Center. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild Center Joel Eriksson Ek (left) shoots Ducks goalkeeper John Gibson in the first phase of Thursday’s game at the Honda Center. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild’s left wing, Kevin Fiala (top center), scores against center-back Rickard Rakell (bottom left), defender Trevor Carrick (bottom right) and goalkeeper John Gibson (bottom) in the first period center-back Joel Eriksson Ek (top left) NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild’s left wing Kevin Fiala (center) celebrates his goal with defenseman Matt Dumba (left and center) Joel Eriksson Ek (right) during the first phase of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim, California, Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild center Marcus Johansson (left) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg (right) during the first phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. ( AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild’s left wing Ryan Hartman (center) celebrates his goal with center-back Nico Sturm (left) and defender Dakota Mermis (right) in the first phase of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim , California, on Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks center Sam Steel, left, collides with Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison during the second phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (left) celebrates a goal by center Sam Steel (right) against the Minnesota Wild in the second phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Ian Cole, right, controls the puck at Anaheim Ducks Center Troy Terry during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo )
Minnesota Wild’s left wing, Marcus Foligno, right, shoots the puck in front of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Larsson during the third phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. ( AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks center Danton Heinen, right, controls the puck alongside Minnesota Wilds defenseman Matt Dumba during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, right, fights for the puck against Anaheim Ducks defender Ben Hutton during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks right wing Carter Rowney (top left) centers the puck past Minnesota Wild goalkeeper Kaapo Kahkonen (right) and Max Comtois (left). Ryan Suter (second from left) defends during the third phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks coach Dallas Eakins, center, speaks to players during a timeout in the third phase of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild’s left wing, Marcus Foligno (17), faces Ducks goalkeeper John Gibson (right) while Cam Fowler (left) defends Thursday’s third period at the Honda Center. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
Minnesota Wild left wing, Marcus Foligno (17), celebrates his goal with left wing, Zach Parise, as Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, during the third phase of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, California , on Thursday, February 18, 2021. (AP Photo / Alex Gallardo)
ANAHEIM – Manager Dallas Eakins said he met with his players Thursday morning, just before the Ducks took on the Minnesota Wild at the Honda Center later that evening. They discussed at length their plan of attack for a possible 5v3 or 4v3 power play.
When they had a two-man advantage in the first phase, two goals behind and were ready to start a rally, they « froze », Eakins said. They couldn’t record a single shot on goal for 1:06 of the 5v3 and then only one during the following 5v4.
« Too slow and no execution, » said Eakins. « It’s wonderful. We spent the morning and then talked about 5v3 and 4v3 before the game and when we got out there we froze. We moved the puck slowly and our execution wasn’t even close to what they did should be at this level. »
The ducks never recovered, falling to a goal with a 3-1 strike for the seventh time in the first 17 games of the season. Remarkably, they managed to beat the opponent 1-0 three times behind John Gibson’s outstanding goalkeeper.
Their powerplay futility only made matters worse and added to their frustration. The ducks went 0 for 3, falling to 3 for 38 (7.9 percent) that season overall. Nothing was more damaging to their chances of breaking a two-goal deficit and winning than not clicking in a 5v3 game.
Ryan Hartman and Kevin Fiala led the Wild 2-0 at the end of the first half, and Marcus Foligno sealed the deal with a goal in the third. It took Kaapo Kahkonen just 16 saves to win, stopping everyone but Sam Steel’s evil backhander, who made it 2-1 in the second.
Ryan Suter of Minnesota broke the Ducks ‘best chance of scoring in the third period and got enough puck to cover Max Comtois’ attempt to hit a wide-open net after a handsome lineup from Carter Rowney disturb. It was a decent summary of the kind of game it was for the ducks.
Foligno’s goal at 4:15 p.m., shortly after a power game had ended, gave Wild a 3-1 lead.
The Ducks not only lost the game, but also lost the outstanding defender Hampus Lindholm due to an unspecified lower body injury. Eakins said he had no update on Lindholm’s condition, adding, « This is not a good loss any way you look at it. »
Kevin Shattenkirk, Lindholm’s defense partner, said Lindholm’s loss was enormous when the ducks tried to rally. Lindholm went into the game as team leader in the Ice Age and logged 22:49 per game. He also plays on the ducks’ power play and penalty sessions.
The ducks have already been without Josh Manson, another of their best defenders. He was sidelined for the 14th game on Thursday after coming under pressure in the Ducks’ 1-0 win against the Wilds on January 18 in a fight against Minnesota’s Jordan Greenway.
Manson should be on the road for up to six weeks. Jani Hakanpaa has replaced him.
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In fact, they messed up the Wilds net for the first few minutes and it seemed only a matter of time before they scored and took the lead. However, they could not go online. They did everything they could to start a game, but they failed in the moment of truth.
Whatever momentum they created vanished in less than a minute when Hartman scored at 7:27 and Fiala scored at 8:05 to give the Wild a two-goal lead. The ducks played with the power game late in the first phase and their fate was sealed.
« We’re starting this game and we’re under a lot of pressure, » said Eakins. « We’re just looking for a reward there and if you don’t get it it’s pretty drained. We’ll keep going. There’s no point in feeling sorry for yourself. »
Shattenkirk said, « While there is some level of frustration, we also need to keep our thoughts positive. As difficult as that can be, we need to stay in a positive state of mind and realize that things are not going well. if we don’t get the chance. »
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