The Anaheim Ducks ended their first road trip of the season with a 2-1 overtime loss to the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins (October 31). They got a point, but it was a disappointing end to a very winnable game that featured much of the same trends the Ducks had shown in the early weeks of the season.

The theme of the last four games has been over-reliance on the goalkeeper's performance while struggling to capitalize on their own top-class scoring opportunities. If this trend continues, the Ducks will quickly fall back in the Pacific Division standings. As we take a look at the upcoming six-game home stretch, which begins tonight with the Chicago Blackhawks and includes a handful of winnable games, let's take a look at some of the drawbacks and strengths of the Ducks' play so far.

The inability to contain the opposition's attacking pressure is worrying

The Ducks scored points in half of the games on their most recent road trip. However, there were few moments where they held possession and generated consistent offense, forcing them to rely on their defense and goalkeeper to stay in the game. One could argue that their best game of the trip was the loss to the New York Rangers because they kept the Rangers stars in check and spread their shooting and scoring chances fairly evenly. Every other game was a disaster. They lost to the New Jersey Devils 34:26, to the New York Islanders 41:22 and to the Penguins 45:23.

Related: Ducks problems show lack of growth

A young team, especially on defense, will have to defend a lot, but falling behind by almost 2-1 in consecutive games is evidence of this team's inability to sustain on offense and that She relies on her goalkeeper to get the job done. The Ducks are in danger of a similar defeat to the Devils if it hadn't been for Lukáš Dostál's Herculean effort at the beginning of the season.

Untimely mistakes prove costly

The road trip, particularly the loss to the Penguins, highlighted the impact that small mistakes and non-execution can have in games. The Ducks had several excellent scoring opportunities late in the third period, including a breakaway chance each from Trevor Zegras and Cutter Gauthier. There is no better chance to eliminate a team than having a breakaway in the final minute of the game. These are the moments when you need your elite talent to come through, especially in a game where the Ducks barely had the puck. Instead, the Penguins held on and took the game into overtime.

Extra time didn't go well either because the Ducks made a fundamental mistake in the defensive zone: Pavel Mintyukov and Frank Vatrano left before Gauthier secured the puck. They thought more about attack than about their defensive responsibilities. Gauthier loses the fight, no one watched Sidney Crosby, who was left all alone and defeated Dostál. That's the game. Sure, Gauthier may have mishandled the puck, but he was flanked by Penguins defensemen on both sides and there was no one else on defense. In a matter of seconds, mental errors led to the end of a game and turned what could have been an uplifting end to the road trip into a rather disappointing conclusion. The Ducks really could have used the extra point.

Gauthier is getting closer, Ducks need more of Killorn and Zegras

Another downside to the season so far has been the lack of performance from some players who were expected to be a bigger piece of the puzzle than last season. This list includes Alex Killorn and Zegras. They scored the Ducks' only goal against the Penguins, but were otherwise quiet. Killorn proved to be one of the more consistent offensive players in the second half of the 2023-24 season and should carry that momentum into his second year as a Duck. That hasn't been the case so far. Zegras also started the season healthy and ready to bounce back and had his moments, but he was far from the nightly impact player we expected him to be.

The Ducks rank last in the NHL with 22 goals scored, an average of 2.2 per game. Obviously that won't be enough and they will have to rely on the performance of all their talented forwards if they want to remain competitive. This also includes Gauthier, who has collected four assists so far but has not yet scored a goal. He has played and excelled at the net, but will need to find a replacement soon given the many opportunities he gets with elite players in optimal situations.

Dostal, Terry and Carlsson are the stars so far

The strengths of the Ducks' season so far can be summed up in three names: Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson and Dostál. Terry and Carlsson are ranked first and second, respectively, in the team standings and have played all season. They are the only two reliable sources of attack to begin with, but they will need help, as will Dostál, the other bright spot in the lineup. He has shined in the first few weeks of 2024-25, ranking second in the NHL with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.99 and first in save percentage (SV%) at 0.945. .

The Ducks appear to be happy with Dostál and his winning streak, as they have minimized the opportunities for James Reimer, who made just two appearances in 10 games. When John Gibson recovers from his emergency appendectomy, the goalkeeper rotation will be unclear, but for now it's rightly up to Dostál.

“Ducks need to get back on track against Blackhawks”

The Blackhawks, the Ducks' opponent tonight, have little to offer other than the emergence of Connor Bedard. Both teams need this game, but the Ducks need it even more. A game against the Blackhawks, a team that has struggled defensively, is the perfect opportunity for them to work on their offensive zone play, maintain pressure and possession, and generate more chances than their opponents. We'll see who competes tonight. Puck drop will take place at 5:00 p.m. PST at the Honda Center.