Ducks Face Goalkeeping Challenges Against Utah Mammoth

The Anaheim Ducks are set to host the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, facing a significant challenge in goalkeeping depth. Following a split in their recent Midwestern back-to-back series, the Ducks will navigate their matchup without starting goalie Lukáš Dostál, who is sidelined due to a shoulder injury. Compounding the issue, Petr Mrázek sustained an injury during a 5-3 defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, where the Ducks conceded five unanswered goals.

Stepping in as the primary goaltender, Ville Husso has demonstrated resilience, having relieved Mrázek in both the loss to Chicago and a subsequent 4-1 victory against his former team, the St. Louis Blues. Husso’s contributions are crucial as the Ducks look to maintain their momentum against a Mammoth team they narrowly defeated 3-2 in overtime on November 17. Dostál has been instrumental in the Ducks’ success this season, earning 11 of the team’s 16 victories, but Husso has also maintained a respectable record of 2-1-0.

Radko Gudas, the team captain, praised Husso’s performance after the win against the Blues, stating, “It’s huge to have all the goalies giving us a chance to win any night. (Husso) was [standing] on his head, and he was a big reason why we won.”

A notable highlight from the Blues game was Pavel Mintyukov’s first multipoint game of the season, marking a significant turnaround after a series of healthy scratches. Mintyukov logged a season-high 21:15 of ice time and has recorded two goals and three points in his last three games. Gudas expressed optimism about Mintyukov’s recent performance, saying, “He’s feeling better and better since he stepped [back] in. He doesn’t look back; he wants to be in the lineup every night, he wants to play big minutes, and he wants to play important minutes as well.”

In response to their recent struggles on special teams, the Ducks adjusted their penalty-killing strategy. Coach Joel Quenneville noted the team’s mixed results when deploying top offensive players during shorthanded situations. Against the Blues, players like Leo Carlsson, Jackson LaCombe, and Troy Terry saw limited minutes while down a man. Quenneville remarked, “We changed our penalty-killing units a bit. We got through some kills. They had some good looks, they had some dangerous misses, but you get off to a start like that with the new units getting out there, I thought there were some good things.”

On the opposing side, the Utah Mammoth have made adjustments since their last encounter with the Ducks. They recently welcomed back defenseman Sean Durzi, but faced a potential setback when leading scorer Logan Cooley sustained a knee injury during a match against the St. Louis Blues. Fortunately for Utah, Cooley returned to action against the San Jose Sharks after being diagnosed with a quad contusion, alleviating fears of a more severe injury.

The Ducks will host the Mammoth at the Honda Center on Wednesday, March 15, at 19:00. Fans can catch the game on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max. As the Ducks aim to solidify their place in the standings, the performance of their goaltenders and the team’s ability to adapt will be crucial in this competitive matchup.