Ducks-Oilers preview

DUCKS AT OILERS

Faceoff: 6 p.m.

TV/Radio: FSW / 830-AM

Update: Ducks center Ryan Kesler is expected to rejoin the lineup after a two-game absence to attend to a family matter at home. A victory over the Edmonton Oilers (30-41-7, last in the Pacific Division) would give the Ducks (41-23-10, second in the Pacific) a 3-1-1 record on their five-game trip across Canada. The Ducks have eight regular-season games remaining and catching the first-place Kings (45-25-5) remains a possibility. The Ducks are bruised and battered, however. They rallied for a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday over the Ottawa Senators without Kesler, Kevin Bieksa (upper-body injury), Simon Despres (upper body), David Perron (shoulder) and Sami Vatanen (head) in the lineup. Chris Stewart played Saturday after a 20-game absence because of a broken jaw. Rickard Rakell scored his 20th goal Saturday, extending his career high. Patrick Maroon, a former Duck, scored twice in the Oilers’ 6-4 loss Saturday to the Kings. Maroon has skated on a line with Connor McDavid and Jordan Eberle. He was with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf at times last season with the Ducks

The Ducks trade Patrick Maroon to the Oilers for Martin Gernat and a fourth-round draft pick

The Ducks on Monday parted ways with left wing Patrick Maroon, sending him to the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline. They received defenseman Martin Gernat and a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for the left wing. Gernat had three points, all assists, in 22 games with the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League this season. He’s expected to be assigned to San Diego of the AHL.

Maroon had four goals and 13 points in 56 games with the Ducks.

Ducks hit the road for seven-game trip full of confidence, according to winger Patrick Maroon

The Ducks have won six consecutive games, including a 5-2 victory Friday over the Arizona Coyotes at the Honda Center. They are 13-3-1 since the Christmas break and 8-1-0 in their last nine games. Their have scored 34 goals in their last nine, an average of 3.8 per game. They have scored four or more six times in that stretch.

“Guys are jelling, guys are playing good,” Ducks left wing Patrick Maroon said. “At the beginning of the season, guys had no confidence. When you start the season 1-7-2, I mean, guys are not going to jell, guys are down in the dumps, guys aren’t scoring, guys aren’t producing. Everyone’s chipping in now and everyone has a little confidence. Trust me, confidence goes a lot way in this game. If you don’t have it, your game is not going to be there and you’ve got to find it every night.”

 

Game report: Ducks 5, Coyotes 2

Key play: Corey Perry and Andrew Cogliano scored 1:41 apart in the third period and the Ducks took a 5-2 victory Friday from the Arizona Coyotes at the Honda Center. Perry’s goal was his team-leading 21st. The Ducks’ victory was their sixth consecutive.

Pivotal performer: Ducks left wing Patrick Maroon had one goal and two assists for the first three-point game of his NHL career. Maroon has one goal and five assists in his last six games. He has two goals and nine assists in 45 games this season.

Quote, unquote: “It’s a huge week for us,” Maroon said of defeating the Sharks, Kings and Coyotes. “Our goal was to win the week. We won the week and that week’s over now. We’ve got a 13-day road trip that’s going to be very, very hard.”

Between the pipes: Frederik Andersen returned to the Ducks’ net one night after John Gibson made 23 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Kings. Andersen stopped 23 shots from the Coyotes in his fifth consecutive victory and his 10th this season. Lindback made his 19th appearance for the Coyotes.

Frequent fliers: The Ducks depart Saturday for a seven-game, 12-night trip, their longest trek of the season. The play the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

Game report: Ducks 2, Kings 1

Key play(s): Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen stopped the Kings’ Trevor Lewis from point-blank range twice after the puck landed on Lewis’ stick after taking an odd bounce off the end boards. Andersen’s acrobatic saves preserved a 2-1 lead for the Ducks early in the third period.

Pivotal performer: Patrick Maroon’s deft deflection of a point shot from defenseman Jaycob Megna gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead with six seconds left in the second period. Maroon parked himself in front of the net and made the sort of play the Ducks want to see more of during the regular season.

Between the pipes: Andersen started for the Ducks and Jonathan Quick was in net for the first two periods for the Kings. Andersen made 24 saves. Quick stopped 21 of 23 shots as the Kings trailed the Ducks 2-1 going into the third. Jhonas Enroth replaced Quick for the final period.

Injury update: The Ducks’ Tim Jackman was cut in the face when Jamie McBain high-sticked him while stumbling backward in the first period. Jackman didn’t return to the game. McBain was given a double minor for clipping Jackman.

Up next: The Ducks visit the Sharks on Saturday in San Jose. The Kings face the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday in Denver.