Ducks coach Dallas Eakins frustrated by offensive-zone penalties
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New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) celebrates after defenseman Scott Mayfield (24) scored a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg (3) skates with the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders defenseman Robin Salo (2) reaches for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) and Anaheim Ducks defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (29) fight for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) and Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Strome (16) fight for the puck during a face off during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield (24) fist-bumps the bench after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) and Anaheim Ducks center Derek Grant (38) fight for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson guards the goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (26) scores against Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (36) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler skates with the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (26) celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
ELMONT, N.Y. — The penalty-killing highlights for the Ducks in the season opener against the Seattle Kraken were few and far between.
The Kraken went three for five on the man advantage and scored on three of their first four opportunities. Ducks coach Dallas Eakins had a few additional thoughts on the PK on Friday after practice.
“We were not aggressive at all,” Eakins said. “We wouldn’t push down on the walls. We wouldn’t take away time and space. We were playing a cautious passive game and it mirrored our five-on-five game.”
He called it a “back-up passive game,” and not an effective one.
“And we don’t want to play like that,” Eakins said. “We want to be aggressive. If you are going to make a mistake – or if they’re going to score a goal, whether it’s on the power play or penalty kill – let’s make it because we were too aggressive.
“But we were in full not-checking mode. We were in a defend, mode, and I hate defend mode.”
Fast forward to Game No. 2.
The Ducks managed to shut down the Islanders’ power play, which went 0 for 4 with the man advantage. Of course that’s a small consolation considering the way the Ducks played five on five.
“We keep talking already about penalties,” Eakins said after the loss to the Islanders. “I think we took five penalties tonight and four were in the O (offensive) zone, for sure, and I think the other one was in the neutral zone.
“That stymies everything. We started OK and then immediately took a penalty. It usually switches the flow of the game into the other team’s hands.”
Lineup tweaks
There was one roster change from the opener – a move on the blue line. Nathan Beaulieu, who was on the third defense pair with Kevin Shattenkirk against Seattle, came out of the lineup for Simon Benoit.
Eakins also moved Jakob Silfverberg down to the fourth line with Max Jones and Derek Grant. That triggered two other changes as Pavol Regenda was promoted to the second line with Frank Vatrano and Trevor Zegras, and Adam Henrique dropped down the third line with Isac Lundestrom and Max Comtois.
Also
Anaheim wanted to keep Rocco Grimaldi in the system and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Gulls, followed through and signed the Orange County native to a one-year AHL contract through this upcoming season.
San Diego announced the deal on Saturday.
Grimaldi, 29, made a favorable impression during the preseason with the Ducks. He had three assists in his first game and added another in his second and finished tied for second with Troy Terry with five points in four games. He played in his first game with the Gulls against Grand Rapids on Saturday night, a 7-4 loss.
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