The Vancouver Canucks are likely breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of the Anaheim Ducks on their upcoming schedule. After enduring a brutal stretch that has seen them drop 12 of their last 13 games, the Canucks will host the Ducks on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena, searching for a spark that can resurrect their season.
For Vancouver, the visit from Anaheim evokes memories of their lone bright spot during an otherwise dismal autumn. Just one week ago, the Canucks engineered a stunning, dramatic comeback at the Honda Center, erasing a three-deficit with a mere seven and a half minutes remaining in regulation before sealing a thrilling 6-5 victory in overtime. That October 27 matchup stands as Vancouver’s singular win in a troubling 1-11-1 run, a sequence of matches that has tested the resolve of the locker room and raised questions about the team’s trajectory.
Since that fateful night in Southern California, the Canucks have slipped right back into their losing ways, unable to build sustainable momentum. Last week brought consecutive defeats, beginning with a tight 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, followed by a hard-fought 4-2 setback against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Despite the unfavorable outcomes on the scoreboard, veteran forward Brock Boeser, who found the back of the net against Toronto, insists that the team is moving in the right direction and that their underlying performance paints a more optimistic picture than their record suggests.
"Honestly, I think our team has been playing a lot better hockey as of late," Boeser said following the weekend loss. "We’re generating more shots, and I think our defensive game is coming along and getting better. You’ve got to look at the little things, and as long as those are improving, then we’ve got to build off those. So, we got to stick with the process here."
While Vancouver attempts to salvage its season through process and patience, the Anaheim Ducks arrive in Western Canada riding a wave of confidence and offensive explosion. The Ducks crossed the border fresh off an impressive 6-3 victory over the visiting Ottawa Senators on Sunday afternoon. That win was highlighted by a dazzling hat trick from young forward Cutter Gauthier and showcased an impressive character-building resilience, as Anaheim stormed back from a three-goal deficit after the first period to thoroughly dominate the remainder of the contest.
The victory offered a welcome change of pace for a Ducks squad that has occasionally struggled to close out games early in the campaign. Anaheim head coach Joel Quenneville noted the psychological importance of orchestrating such a comprehensive turnaround, contrasting this season’s early challenges with last year’s knack for late-game heroics.
"Last year, we were experts in coming back in games," Quenneville said. "This year, we’ve been more the other way. So, it’s nice to come back and get the win."
A massive catalyst for Anaheim’s recent success has been the sudden and lethal explosion of their power-play unit. During Sunday’s game against Ottawa, the final four of six consecutive goals scored by the Ducks came with the man advantage. That blistering sequence vaulted Anaheim’s power-play efficiency all the way up to second in the entire National Hockey League, operating at a formidable 34 percent success rate.
That elite production represents a stunning, dramatic turnaround for an organization that has struggled immensely with special teams in recent years. To put their current efficiency into perspective, Anaheim finished a dismal 23rd in the NHL on the power play last season, converting at just 18.6 percent. Looking back further, the unit hit rock bottom during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing dead last in the league with an anemic 11.8 percent success rate. The newfound potency with an extra attacker has completely transformed the texture of the Ducks’ offense, giving them a reliable weapon to lean on when traditional five-on-five play bogs down.
This renewed offensive firepower, combined with a resilient team identity, has fostered a palpable sense of calm within the Anaheim locker room, even when matches begin to slip away early. Forward Judd Caulfield, who put together a stellar performance against Ottawa by recording two goals and an assist, emphasized that panic has no place on the bench when the team falls behind.
"We know that we’re capable of making those comebacks," Caulfield said. "We just have to trust ourselves to make the plays and trust each other. We know we’re a team and that’s the only way we’re going to get back in this is with each other."
Caulfield has quietly emerged as one of the most compelling and unexpected storylines of the early NHL season. Scoring four goals in his first 12 career NHL games, the hardworking forward has carved out a vital role by relentlessly doing the dirty work in the high-traffic areas around the opponent’s net. His emergence from a long-shot prospect to a trusted contributor has earned the admiration of the coaching staff, including Quenneville, who praised the young forward’s dedication to the foundational details of the game.
"That’s as good an example as you can set by getting rewarded by efficiency and what you’ve been doing," Quenneville said. "Judd made the team when we probably didn’t envision him being there at the beginning of the year. Next thing you know he’s on our power play and playing top line. He does all the little things well, and those things add up."
Beyond the skaters, the Ducks have also had to navigate strategic decisions in the crease. Head coach Quenneville took a notable gamble ahead of the Ottawa game, opting to start goaltender Laurent Brossoit instead of turning to Lukas Dostal or Ville Husso.
The early returns on that gamble were turbulent. Brossoit struggled out of the gate, allowing three goals on the first seven shots he faced in what remarkably marked just his second NHL appearance in three seasons. However, rather than letting the game completely unravel, the veteran netminder settled down impressively, locking the door and pitching a shutout over the final two periods to secure the victory. Quenneville indicated that despite the rocky start, he plans to carry all three goaltenders with him on the team’s current three-game Canadian road trip, maintaining healthy competition in the crease.
For Brossoit, the victory was the culmination of an arduous, multi-year journey filled with patience, rehabilitation, and perseverance through infrequent playing time.
"I was hoping it wouldn’t take years in between wins, personally, but here we are," Brossoit reflected. "It feels amazing, no matter how you shake it up."