The Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets have exited the Olympic break with positive results so far.
They’ll meet for the second time since the break when the Jets host the Ducks on Tuesday night.
The Ducks came from behind to beat the Jets 5-4 in overtime on Feb. 27 in Anaheim. That was part of a nine-game homestand that concluded Sunday with a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Still, the Ducks finished 7-2-0 on the homestand, helping them regain first place in the Pacific Division, the latest point in a season they’ve held that spot since winning the division in 2017.
“We’re happy with our stand here,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “Let’s forget about (the 4-0 loss to St. Louis) and know that, ‘Hey, let’s get off to a positive start.’ “
The Jets have won three in a row and have points in six straight games (4-0-2).
They’ve exceeded regulation in five of those games, most recently defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime Saturday.
“Since the break, the guys have been playing fantastic hockey, scratching and clawing while never looking fazed,” said Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, who scored the overtime winner against the Canucks.
Morrissey was playing his first game since sustaining an upper-body injury during Team Canada’s first game against the Czech Republic at the Olympics. The 2023 NHL All-Star displayed his value throughout the return.
“He’s an elite player,” Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi said. “He was part of Team Canada for a reason. They missed him out there, obviously. It just shows how big of a difference-maker he is for us.”
Vancouver coach Adam Foote was impressed with the Jets’ physicality in the middle of the ice.
“It’s a team you almost don’t want to play on a back-to-back in their home barn because they do play dots and boards in our end and grind you out and try to wear you down,” Foote said.
The Ducks are eager to bounce back from their fourth shutout loss of the season Sunday.
Anaheim survived a nine-game losing streak that started the game before the Christmas break and continued into mid-January.
The Ducks have strung together winning streaks of seven and five games since then.
“Every team is so good now, so I think it’s just difficult to put wins together,” Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. “We’ve got to find different ways to win games.”
The Ducks are nearing full health again.
Leo Carlsson missed the final 11 games before the Olympic break after undergoing a procedure to address a left thigh injury, and he has eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games since returning.
Mikael Granlund returned Sunday after missing the first six games following the break because he was injured while playing for Team Finland in the bronze-medal game.
John Carlson, acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Thursday, is expected to make his Anaheim debut toward the end of the four-game Canadian road trip, Quenneville said.
That leaves forward Troy Terry (upper body) as the only Anaheim player still sidelined for the foreseeable future.
