Despite the loss, it wasn’t a bad performance for Anaheim. The Ducks had the better start and were also the better team in the third period, missing some good opportunities to tie the game in the final frame.
However, it was a poor second period that sunk the team, in which Anaheim allowed two goals to give up the lead. The Ducks were really sloppy in their own end at times, with the third goal being completely avoidable, as a result of a bad turnover by Ryan Getzlaf.
Kevin Shattenkirk has probably been the team’s least reliable player in the defensive zone so far this season. While the Sharks’ third goal was the result of a turnover by Getzlaf, the play could’ve been avoided altogether if Shattenkirk had more urgency to retrieve the puck along the boards. It looked as though he was trying to avoid a hit and thus slowed down, rather than getting to the puck and making a play.
The Ducks did have the more quality chances overall and were the better team for the majority of the game. I’ll say that the team has also come a long way defensively from the start of the season. However, even with a solid performance, poor mistakes at the wrong time can be costly.
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Are you happy with Kevin Shattenkirk's performance so far this season?
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