Ducks at Coyotes
If not for a disastrous first month of the season during which it won once in 10 games (1-7-2), the Anaheim Ducks likely would be running away with the Pacific Division and challenging the Washington Capitals for the Presidents' Trophy. Anaheim, which has pulled even in points with division-leading Los Angeles, looks to stretch its winning streak to double digits when it visits the struggling Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
The Ducks continued their improbable quest for a fourth consecutive division title with a 3-2 shootout triumph over Montreal on Wednesday that completed a perfect five-game homestand and improved them to 23-4-2 since they last lost back-to-back contests on Dec. 21 and 22. Arizona returns home from a brutal five-game road trip that seriously damaged its postseason chances. The Coyotes lost each contest on their trek, scoring a total of seven goals, and enter Thursday eight points behind Minnesota for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 19 games remaining. Arizona won its first three meetings with the Ducks this season before dropping a 5-2 decision in Anaheim on Feb. 5.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket and FSN San Diego (Anaheim), FSN Arizona Plus
ABOUT THE DUCKS (35-19-8): Captain Ryan Getzlaf had his 11-game point streak halted Wednesday as he failed to land on the scoresheet for only the third time in 23 contests. Simon Despres is day-to-day with the flu, which forced fellow defenseman Clayton Stoner into the lineup Wednesday for the first time since Jan. 15. Anaheim will be well-represented in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey this fall as Getzlaf (Team Canada), Ryan Kesler (Team USA), defenseman Sami Vatanen (Team Finland), and goaltenders John Gibson (Team North America) and Frederik Andersen (Team Europe) were selected to participate.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (27-30-6): Veteran Alex Tanguay practiced Wednesday for the first time since being acquired from Colorado two days earlier and is expected to make his debut for Arizona on Thursday. "I'll have the same approach I've always had - take it one game at a time and prepare as best as possible," the 36-year-old left wing told the team's website. "I'm happy. There's a lot of talent here." Boyd Gordon (upper body), who has not played since Feb. 4, was upgraded to day-to-day after participating in Wednesday's practice.
OVERTIME
1. Coyotes RW Viktor Tikhonov is expected to return to the lineup after missing Monday's game to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
2. Anaheim has suffered one regulation loss since Jan. 17, going 16-1-1 in that stretch.
3. Arizona C Martin Hanzal (Team Czech Republic) and D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Team Sweden) will represent the club in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey this fall.