Coyotes at Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks attempt to avoid a third consecutive loss at Honda Center when they continue their three-game homestand against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday. Anaheim won its first two at home this season but has been outscored 9-1 in its last two, including a 5-1 setback against Pittsburgh on Wednesday in the opener of the homestand.
The Ducks hope to have their leading scorer back in the lineup Friday as captain Ryan Getzlaf (nine points) sat out the loss to the Penguins with an upper-body injury. Arizona completed a 2-1-0 homestand Thursday with a 3-2 shootout triumph over Nashville as Anthony Duclair forged a tie in the third period with his first goal of the season before netting the decisive tally in the bonus format. The 21-year-old left wing entered with just one assist in his first nine games of 2016-17 after registering 20 goals and 44 points in 81 contests last season. The Coyotes lost their first five road contests this season before concluding their six-game trip with a victory at Philadelphia on Oct. 27.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus, FSN West (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (4-6-0): Arizona is hoping Christian Dvorak will be this season's version of Duclair and Max Domi, who posted strong rookie campaigns in 2015-16. The 20-year-old Dvorak scored his first career goal hours after being recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League on Thursday and has notched four points in his first eight NHL games. The Coyotes likely will be without forwards Martin Hanzal and Tobias Rieder, who missed Thursday's contest with lower-body injuries.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (4-5-2): Anaheim made a slew of moves Thursday, removing Mason Raymond and defensemen Shea Theodore and Jacob Larsson from the roster. Raymond, who failed to record a point in four games and opted not to report to San Diego of the AHL after being assigned there because of family reasons, was released from the one-year contract he signed in July. The 21-year-old Theodore, who has notched an assist in six contests with the Ducks this season, was sent to San Diego while the 19-year-old Larsson was returned to Frolunda in his native Sweden after being kept off the scoresheet in four games.
OVERTIME
1. Ducks RW Ondrej Kase, a 20-year-old Czech, registered two shots and a minus-1 rating over 8 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time in his NHL debut Wednesday.
2. Arizona D Michael Stone (upper body) likely will miss his fourth consecutive game Friday.
3. Anaheim LW Nick Ritchie (upper body) also sat out Wednesday's loss and, along with Getzlaf, is day-to-day.