Ducks News & Rumors: Last-Minute Win, Strome and Gudas Return, and Mintyukov’s Predicament – The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis and More

After a brief three-game losing streak on the road, the Ducks were able to return to Honda Center this week and return to their winning ways in the most dramatic way possible. We’ll look at Monday night’s game, Ryan Strome and Radko Gudas returning to the ice, and the predicament Pavel Mintyukov finds himself in in this week’s edition of Ducks News & Rumors.

Ducks earn huge comeback win over Mammoth

Monday night’s game against the Utah Mammoth was the first of a six-game homestand for Anaheim. After losing three straight, the players were eager to return to their home arena with the Ducks faithful in the stands. The match was close and the score remained 1-1 until midway through the third period, when the Mammoth took the lead. As the seconds ticked away in regulation, it appeared the Ducks would add a fourth loss to their streak.

Related: Ducks complete last-minute comeback, win 3-2 over Mammoth

However, Troy Terry rallied late – just four seconds left in the game – to take the lead, sliding the puck past Karel Vejmelka for a breathtaking buzzer-beater. The game was tied and the Ducks had five additional minutes to add two points to their season record. Defenseman Olen Zellweger played the overtime hero, scoring just 1:50 into the overtime period to put the ball away for the Ducks.

It’s games and moments like these that make the team so special this season. Their ability to grind, dig deep and make plays is unlike any recent Ducks team we’ve seen. They don’t give up, especially at home, and put a number in their win column time and time again.

Gudas and Strome return

Captain Gudas and forward Strome also made their returns this week. Strome made his debut on November 13 after an upper-body injury that kept him sidelined at the start of the season, while Gudas suffered a lower-body injury and was out for only a month. Gudas indicated that he was “I felt great” and was “excited to be back,” and Strome echoed those sentimentsand said he was “excited to get back into it.”

These two made their presence felt during Wednesday night’s 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins, as they both scored their first goals of the season to help their team to victory. Strome made four shots in his 17:59 on ice, and “The Butcher” was his usual self, with five hits and 15:11 on ice. Strome and Gudas bring back a veteran, veteran presence, as well as playoff experience – something that is so important as the Ducks pursue a postseason run. Their return was clearly much needed for the team.

Mintyukov has a problem

Mintyukov, a Russian defenseman, has been a regular member of the Ducks’ blue line for the past two seasons. He registered 47 combined points, placed big hits on opponents and was an asset to both offense and defense. However, this season his numbers are not where they should be.

The blueliner has just three assists in 18 games this season and hasn’t had a point since Nov. 2. While Gudas was out, he was often paired with Ian Moore, but now that the captain is back in, Mintyukov has seemingly been pushed aside in favor of Moore. Last season he had the same ice age battle with Zellweger, often getting scratched healthily.

from Sportnet Elliott Friedman indicated in his weekly column 32 Thoughts that this lack of ice time could be a problem for the Russian player. “After a number of healthy scratches, word came in that Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov would like to be moved if he didn’t play,” he said. But, he continued, “this is the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, so Ducks GM Pat Verbeek won’t rush anything.”

A move involving Mintyukov isn’t entirely out of the question, but it’s just pure speculation at this point. If he openly pushed for a move, he might be placed on waivers. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on and see if Mintyukov gets more ice time in the coming days.

The Ducks will face the Ottawa Senators, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings to close out their homestand on Black Friday. Stay tuned The hockey writers for Ducks News & Rumors, as well as all the other hockey content you’re looking for.