The Ducks’ theme of alleviation – the end of their seven-game losing streak and Frank Vatrano’s goal drought alike Thursday – persisted through a pair of off days ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Ducks confirmed that rookie Leo Carlsson, who sustained a knee-on-knee hit and left a 4-0 win over Chicago in the second period, was back in action at practice and ready to play Sunday, while Trevor Zegras, who hadn’t played since Jan. 9 due to a broken ankle, was to be a “game-time decision,” per Coach Greg Cronin.
Even Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who broke into the NHL with Tampa Bay, participated in a non-contact jersey for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury March 14. He should be considered doubtful for Sunday.
Gudas has been a missing ingredient from the Ducks’ penalty kill. Along with mainstay Cam Fowler and three departures via trade – Sam Carrick, Adam Henrique and Ilya Lyubushkin – he’s been among the five most frequently deployed penalty killers for the Ducks this season. Without four of their five most trusted skaters, the Ducks had the wheels fall off the penalty kill after the trade deadline, an issue exacerbated by several streams of penalties.
Another former Bolt, two-time Stanley Cup winner Alex Killorn, was encouraged by his club going four-for-five shorthanded against Minnesota and then negating the lone power-play opportunity it gave to Chicago, which had scored four power-play goals against the Ducks just eight days earlier.
“We’ve made some adjustments to the PK and I think it’s gone well so far. We still have a lot to go,” Killorn said. “We have a huge challenge Sunday with Tampa coming in and their power play, so hopefully we can continue in that direction.”
The Lightning boast the NHL’s top power-play conversion rate as well as its most productive scorer with the man advantage, Nikita Kucherov, and another power player in the top 10, longtime captain Steven…
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