Ducks Continue Homestand Against Struggling Rangers

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks continue their final extended homestand tonight, hosting the New York Rangers at Honda Center with puck drop set for 7 p.m. This matchup comes after the Ducks secured a decisive 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins just two nights ago.

In their latest game, Anaheim showcased one of their strongest performances of the season, limiting the Bruins to just nine shots in the first two periods. Winger Alex Killorn, who recorded his 300th career NHL assist in the win, highlighted his team’s efforts, saying, “It was a good game for us overall. A ton of shots and a ton of opportunities. I really liked the way we played. Our defense was getting up the ice.”

Head Coach Greg Cronin credited his players for a quick start against Boston. “We challenged them to come out and initiate the pace of the game. We did a really good job of that,” he said. “We wanted to create a difficult environment for Boston right from the beginning, and I thought we were able to do that for the better part of the game.”

The Ducks’ offense proved effective, especially from younger players, with six of the seven point-scorers aged 24 or younger. “It’s a great opportunity for them to have a great end of the season but also to build momentum going into next season as well,” Killorn added.

Following the victory, the Ducks improved their season record to 31-32-8, but remain 15 points out of a playoff position with 11 games still to play. Meanwhile, the Rangers find themselves in a tough spot, sitting fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 3-6-1 record over their last ten games. New York recently suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Los Angeles Kings.

Rangers center Mika Zibanejad expressed his frustration, noting, “It gets tiring because I feel like over the last few weeks we’ve been playing some good hockey and still losing. We find a way to lose.”

This game marks the first meeting between the Ducks and Rangers since a December trade that sent veteran defenseman Jacob Trouba to Anaheim. Trouba previously served as the Rangers’ captain and played 364 games with the team. Since joining the Ducks, he has participated in all 46 games and collected eight points.

In their previous encounter earlier this season, the Rangers narrowly defeated the Ducks 2-1 at Madison Square Garden, with Trouba’s old teammates holding the Ducks scoreless until the third period.

As the Rangers aim to secure a playoff spot, they face an uphill battle against Anaheim, who hopes to build on their recent momentum and continue their homestand on a positive note.