Preview: Ducks Look for Back-to-Back Wins on Season-Opening Road Trip

The Ducks will shoot to open the 2024-25 season with back-to-back wins tonight in Sin City, facing off with the division rival Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.

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Anaheim kicked off the new campaign with a 2-0 shutout victory last night in San Jose, backed by 30 saves from Lukas Dostal and a go-ahead third-period goal by Isac Lundestrom.

"With the first game after the long layoff we had [since the end of the preseason], it's always a mystery how you're going to start," head coach Greg Cronin said. "I think we were energized...But I think we couldn't get out of the sloppiness. It was a sloppy game.

"Dostal was a big difference for us. If he wasn't on his game, it could have gone a different direction."

Dostal was spectacular in his first career season-opening, coming up with a big rebound stop late in the first period and helping to weather a couple close calls for the Sharks early in the third period.

"He was great," Cronin said. "You could tell in the preseason from his body language. Like I've said all along, he's very consistent. Consummate professional. He did a great job."

"Pucks were hitting me," Dostal said postgame with a smile. "The guys played a great game. They were blocking shots and they helped me out big there."

Lundestrom, alongside linemates Brett Leaso and Brock McGinn provided all the offense Dostal would need, part of a strong forechecking night for Anaheim's fourth line.

"They hunted," Cronin said. "They didn't change their game. From the first shift, they were putting pucks deep, getting it back and getting zone time. They played efficiently at the offensive blue line and didn't have many turnovers. They deserved a goal. They were our best line."

"We just have to keep skating," Lundestrom said. "We can all skate well and get pucks to the net. We want to keep focusing on that."

Anaheim now heads south to Vegas to face a veteran Golden Knights squad that's already 2-0-0 on the new season with wins over Colorado and St. Louis.

“We were really dialed in and played winning hockey at the end,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy told NHL.com's Paul Delos Santos Friday night after beating St. Louis. “That’s a real positive this time of the year. That’s two leads we’ve had in the third period and in both games, we’ve closed them out."

Vegas' hot start has come in large part thanks to an explosive offense, led by forwards Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev - who have already combined for 12 points.

“[Barbashev’s] easy to read,” Eichel said. “He wins a lot of battles. He’s good on the walls. He’s got some underrated hands and a scoring touch in tight. He does a lot of little things that, as a centerman, make my job a lot easier."