Takeaways from the Ducks 3-2 Pre-Season Loss to the Kings

The Anaheim Ducks traveled to Ontario, CA, on Saturday to take on the Los Angeles Kings for their third pre-season matchup of the 2024-25 season.

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The Ducks deployed a lineup consisting of fewer high-profile NHL regulars than Thursday’s game against the Sharks.

Lukas Dostal received the start in net for the Ducks and was scheduled to play the entirety of the game for the first time this pre-season. He stopped 30 of 33 shots and allowed a goal at each 5v5, 4v3, and shorthanded 4v5. Dostal made the saves he was supposed to and gave the Ducks a chance to win this game.

“They were playing a simple game,” Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said of the Kings performance in this game. “Getting it deep, getting it back, chucking pucks to the net, and they controlled play because of that.”

Only so many conclusions can be drawn from pre-season hockey with the mixture of NHL regulars and those vying for jobs, but here are my notes from this game:

Forecheck: A significant tweak to the forechecking system this season for the Ducks is to activate defensemen sooner and pinch further down the wall in the offensive zone against breakouts. When it works, zone time is greatly extended, and when turnovers are caused, lanes open to feed the covering F3, reactivating offensively.

Sam Colangelo: After a neutral performance on Thursday, Colangelo was more engaged from the jump in this game. He was disruptive on the forecheck, made clever slip passes to teammates on breakouts, and was often the first player to loose pucks deep in the offensive zone.

“(Cronin) has been preaching to just get the puck on the net,” Colangelo said after the game. “I’m two feet from the goalie, and I trust my shot, so I’m just trying to get it on net… it feels good to get one in the back of the net.”

Power Play: It’s becoming clear the power play is designed to run through the left flank and bumper, with the…