Ducks are no pushovers, but Avalanche still blank them - OCRegister

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• Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher, left, lunges for the puck as Ducks defenseman Jani Hakanpaa tries to fend him off during the first period of Friday’s game at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche right wing Tyson Jost, left, shoots the puck in front of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, right, shoots the puck for a goal while Anaheim Ducks left wing Max Comtois (53) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Ducks left wing Max Comtois, right, reaches for the puck handled by Colorado Avalanche left wing Joonas Donskoi, center, as Ducks defenseman Ben Hutton defends during the first period of Friday’s game at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Anaheim Ducks center Chase De Leo, left, screens a shot in front of Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonas Johansson during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, front right, celebrates with his bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Anaheim Ducks left wing Max Jones, front left, loses the puck while attempting to wraparound the goal while Colorado Avalanche defenseman Dennis Gilbert (8) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog, left, and Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique (14) battle for position as the puck deflects off a save by Avalanche goalie Jonas Johansson during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Anaheim Ducks left wing Max Jones, center, loses the puck while Colorado Avalanche left wing Andre Burakovsky, left, and defenseman Kyle Burroughs defend during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonas Johansson, right, makes a save on a shot by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale as Ducks center Danton Heinen, front center, and Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, look for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Joonas Donskoi, left, and Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale compete for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche right wing Tyson Jost, center, loses the puck while falling to the ice in front of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale, left, as center Sam Carrick, second from right, and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk watch during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, right, handles the puck while pressured by Anaheim Ducks center Sam Carrick during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, left, passes the puck while pressured by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, right, moves the puck past Anaheim Ducks center Sam Carrick during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale, from left to right, battles Colorado Avalanche right wing Nathan MacKinnon for position after a save by goalie John Gibson during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale, from left to right, battles Colorado Avalanche right wing Nathan MacKinnon for position after a save by goalie John Gibson during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin, right, moves the puck past Anaheim Ducks center Sam Carrick during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog, center, handles the puck in front of Anaheim Ducks center Danton Heinen, left, as defenseman Cam Fowler defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche right wing Nathan MacKinnon, right, passes the puck as Anaheim Ducks left wing Nicolas Deslauriers defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche left wing Mikko Rantanen, center, celebrates his empty-net goal with right wing Nathan MacKinnon and left wing Gabriel Landeskog, left, during the third period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. The Avalanche won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

• Colorado Avalanche players congratulate goalie Jonas Johansson after the team’s 2-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

ANAHEIM — The night was bittersweet for Chase De Leo. After all, he grew up in La Mirada, dreaming of one day playing for the Ducks at Honda Center since he was a toddler decked out in the team’s gear and sitting with his parents in the stands. He finally got his chance Friday night in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

De Leo got the word late Friday afternoon.

He had been recalled from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.

Hustle over to Honda Center.

The Ducks were ill and injured and needed his help.

De Leo knew the route well.

“Any day in the NHL is the best day ever,” he said.

It would have made for a better story if the Ducks had won and De Leo’s family could have attended. He had played four games in the NHL, including three with the Ducks, but they had all been on the road. Fans are banned from attending Ducks home games until April 16 because of the pandemic.

Coach Dallas Eakins inserted De Leo into the Ducks’ starting lineup Friday, slotting him at center between skillful wingers Max Comtois and Rickard Rakell. They generated a couple of early scoring chances, not long after De Leo won the opening faceoff inside the empty 17,174-seat arena.

“Every day I get up and go to the gym and it’s always something I’m wanting and working for and working towards,” De Leo said of dreaming of playing at Honda Center. “It’s always been a goal. I wish my family could have been here. It would have made it that much better, and if we got the win.”

Duly inspired by De Leo’s enthusiasm, the Ducks proved to be a handful for the Avalanche, who got the one goal they needed to win from Valeri Nichushkin late in the second period, added an empty-net strike from Mikko Rantanen late in the game and got 28 saves from goalie Jonas Johansson.

John Gibson made 33 saves, keeping the Ducks close. Gibson had plenty of assistance from his teammates in pushing Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche far from his net. MacKinnon had an assist on Rantanen’s goal but has scored only one goal against the Ducks this season.

“Our goaltenders have done a hell of a job because he’s about as dangerous as they get in this league,” Eakins said of MacKinnon.

Colorado improved to 27-9-4, vaulting past the idle Carolina Hurricanes and into first place in the NHL’s overall standings. The Ducks were shut out for just the second time this season and fell to 12-22-7, last in the West Division and third-from-the-bottom overall.

Rakell returned to the Ducks’ lineup after sitting out for four games after falling and hitting his head in a March 28 game in St. Louis. He had a couple of excellent chances in the first period, misfiring once and then watching the puck jump past his stick on another try. Either would have given the Ducks the lead.

Team captain Ryan Getzlaf sat out for the third straight game because of an upper-body injury amid plenty of speculation about his future with the Ducks. The trade deadline is Monday and Getzlaf would have to waive his no-movement clause in order to be dealt to another team, however.

In addition, Derek Grant sat out because of flu-like symptoms the Ducks said were unrelated to COVID-19. Isac Lundestrom joined Grant on the sideline after suffering appendicitis on Thursday. Their availability for Sunday’s rematch with the Avalanche was uncertain, especially Lundestrom’s.

“He had some cramping and wasn’t feeling great,” Eakins said of Lundestrom. “When it’s that, you start thinking maybe he’s eaten something that’s not right. But good on our medical staff to jump on it. He’s had his appendix out and he’s resting comfortably.”

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