Ducks vs. Kings Showdown: Who Will Seize Victory in This High-Stakes Battle?

The Ducks barely caught their breath after a tense 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, and here they are, gearing up to face the same tough adversaries again on Saturday. Beckett Sennecke’s standout performance—spiced with a dash of sheer puck fortune—helped Anaheim claw back from a 2-0 hole, with Sennecke and Mason McTavish sealing the deal in the shootout. Head coach Joel Quenneville praised the grit and determination, especially highlighting Sennecke’s hustle and goaltender Lukáš Dostál’s brilliance during a crucial second period stretch. It was a scrappy game—ugly goals mixed with hard-earned chances—but the Ducks’ resilience was undeniable. The excitement isn’t just about yesterday’s win; it’s the momentum and the team’s hunger that sets the stage for a gripping rematch tonight. Dive into all the action and insights right here. LEARN MORE

Coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, the Ducks are right back it on Saturday against the same opponent.

A strong game from Beckett Sennecke and a little bit of puck luck aided the Ducks as they erased a 2-0 deficit, with Sennecke and Mason McTavish scoring in the shootout to clinch a winning outcome.

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“Second period, we had a great stretch there,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “(Sennecke) had a great game. (Goaltender Lukáš Dostál) was outstanding. We turned some pucks over and got some pucks to the net. I thought we checked well. We played hard, knowing that this team has a way of preventing you from even getting close to the net. Scored some greasy and some ugly goals, but we did have some good looks that didn’t go in as well. It was a hard fought game. All teams know what was on stake or was on the line and we get to go right back at it again tomorrow.”

Tim Washe was one of Anaheim’s goalscorers, collecting his first career NHL goal in the process. His goal tied the game at two apiece.

“We worked on making simple plays, grinding them down low, and then good things happened,” Washe said. “We got our bounces late in the second there, and we were able to put them in.”

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Washe’s first NHL goal comes just one day after he was named an AHL All-Star. He had 25 points in 30 games with the San Diego Gulls this season prior to being called up to the Ducks on Jan. 7.

“Amazing feeling, right? That’s what you dream of right there,” Washe said. “Credit to Ross (Johnston, who grabbed the puck) and everyone there that made it so special.”

“Pretty hard to believe. Special week and look forward to talking to my family a little bit tonight.”

Anaheim has rolled together two consecutive wins without the likes of Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry, two of their top offensive players. Carlsson will be out of game action for approximately 3-5 weeks as he recovers from a procedure to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh. Terry has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Friday, retroactive to Jan. 6.

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“You could look up and down the lineup. Guys are excited for an opportunity. I know I am,” Ryan Strome, who scored Anaheim’s first goal, said. “I’m excited to play a little bit more and get a chance with some of our top players and I know some of our guys from San Diego are really excited to be up and contributing, so it’s good. Everyone’s eager for more opportunity and everyone’s hungry and everyone’s kind of digging in.

“The thing I think I’m most proud of the boys is it’s been team-first. I think no matter who scores or who gets it done, everyone’s happy for everyone. I think we’ve learned a lot about ourselves in this tough stretch we went through. I think we’re realizing what it takes to win and it’s not easy and that’s a great sign for a young team to kind of figure it out. These intangibles and these little things matter, and they’re adding up. I’m really proud of the boys last two games.”

Chris Kreider missed Friday’s game with an illness and will likely be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game. If he can’t go, the Ducks will likely roll out the same 11-7 formation from Friday, with defenseman Ian Moore acting as a forward.

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The Ducks acquired forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins on Friday, with Viel expected to arrive in Anaheim in Saturday. It is unknown if he will be available to play in Saturday’s game.

Ducks Projected Lines

Cutter Gauthier – Mason McTavish – Ryan Strome
Alex Killorn – Mikael Granlund – Beckett Sennecke
Jansen Harkins – Ryan Poehling – Sam Colangelo
Ross Johnston – Tim Washe – Ian Moore

Jackson LaCombe – Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger – Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson

Ville Husso (projected)

Kings Projected Lines

Jeff Malott – Alex Laferriere – Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegele – Quinton Byfield – Joel Armia
Kevin Fiala – Alex Turcotte – Andrei Kuzmenko
Andre Lee – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg (projected)