What we learned from the Ducks’ 3-1 loss to the Maple Leafs

The Ducks played solid hockey Wednesday with their first game at home following a successful four-game road swing, but they didn’t come away with any points. The Toronto Maple Leafs, led by former Ducks starting goalie Frederik Andersen, won 3-1. Here’s what we learned.

Lindholm coming on: Hampus Lindholm returned last week after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, and with five games now under his belt, he’s hitting his stride. His 18:03 of ice time was at least four minutes longer than that of any other Ducks player, and there’s a good reason why. The 23-year-old Swede was strong on the puck, he created plenty of scoring chances on the power play and Lindholm was clearly the best player on the ice for the Ducks. With Cam Fowler sidelined for at least another two weeks, this is exactly what Randy Carlyle and Co. need right now, but it’s not enough.

Duo of young players impress: With so many key injuries, there’s ample opportunity for young players to grab major minutes, and two players have capitalized. Ondrej Kase, the second-year winger from the Czech Republic, shares the team lead with five goals after scoring again Wednesday. His four shots were a game high, tied with those of Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour, who has stepped into a top-four role with Cam Fowler sidelined. The 23-year-old has no problem joining the rush, but he has also been steady at the blue line.

Power-play woes continue: The Ducks, no matter who is quarterbacking the special-teams unit, simply can’t cure what ails them. Their four goals are second-to-last in the NHL, and the Ducks have converted on just 10.8% of their power-play opportunities. Sure, they created some nice chances against Toronto, namely when Rickard Rakell’s wrister from the slot found iron, but they need to find the net more often. Lindholm did a nice job on the PP, as did Montour, but with Ryan Getzlaf and Cam Fowler sidelined, the Ducks need to find a solution and fast.

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