Ducks at Devils
The Anaheim Ducks continue to be among the biggest stories of the 2015-16 NHL season, but for all the wrong reasons as they continue their four-game road trip Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. Anaheim, considered by many to be a top Stanley Cup contender, sits last in the Pacific Division after a disheartening 3-0 loss in Buffalo on Thursday dropped its league-worst scoring average to 1.83 goals despite producing a season-high 44 shots on goal.
"You keep going," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters. "That’s the only thing you can do. ..." It appeared Anaheim was ready to realize its potential with four straight victories to begin November after a 1-7-2 start, but it has gone 6-7-3 since. New Jersey has alternated losses and wins in December (4-3-2) after a 5-1 setback to Florida on Thursday in which it produced a season-low 16 shots, leaving it without consecutive victories since Nov. 12 and 14. "When you go through the year, you have certain situations and things that come up," coach John Hynes said. "... It happens to be that we haven't played real well after we've had some good wins and felt really good about our game. So let's address it, let's figure it out, and let's get better. ..."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, KCOP-13 (Anaheim), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (11-14-5): Jiri Sekac returned Thursday after missing 18 games (ankle) and recorded five shots in 16:30 of ice time while playing on the No. 2 line with Jakob Silfverberg and center Ryan Kesler. "We switched lines around a little bit, but hopefully you get a goal that triggers something,'' Boudreau said. " We thought we got a good game from Jiri Sekac (Thursday), for his first game. That’s promising. We’ll hopefully build on it in the next game." Kesler (three goals, 11 points) hasn't recorded a point in December (five games) or a goal in his last seven contests, and is a team-worst minus-12 this season.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (16-12-4): Kyle Palmieri has recorded seven points in the last seven games, and his 13 goals are tied for the club lead and one shy of his career high set in each of the last two seasons with Anaheim. Palmieri has recorded 25 points, second on the team to Mike Cammalleri (31 points) and just ahead of Adam Henrique and Lee Stempniak (24). Cory Schneider (14-9-4, 2.16 goals-against average, .924 save percentage) has started seven consecutive games but could yield to Keith Kinkaid (2-3-0, 2.55, .903) as New Jersey plays at Boston on Sunday.
OVERTIME
1. The Ducks are 0-for-13 on the power play over their last five games while the Devils are 4-for-16 during that span.
2. New Jersey RW Jordin Tootoo has recorded an NHL-worst minus-17 along with Vancouver C Bo Horvat.
3. Anaheim has won three straight meetings after sweeping the two-game series last season.