The Anaheim Ducks (12-15-4) travel to face off against the Utah Hockey Club (16-11-5) on Sunday, December 22nd. This game will be played at Delta Center in Salt Lake City and televised on ESPN+. Both the Ducks and Hockey Club will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 ET.

Ducks vs Hockey Club

The Anaheim Ducks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Ducks fell to 12-15-4 with a 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks. Anaheim was favored on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 6 goals fell short of that mark.

Anaheim trailed 3-0 before finally getting on the board in the third period. Brock McGinn scored at 9:44 in the third, and Mason McTavish added another goal with just 4 seconds left in the game.

The Utah Hockey Club Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Utah’s 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights brought their record to 16-11-5. The game’s total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5. Utah, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover.

Utah led 2-0 before the Golden Knights tied it in the second period. The Golden Knights then took the lead in the third, but Utah evened the score before eventually losing in overtime.

Anaheim Offense Breakdown

Anaheim fired 39 shots on goal in their 4-2 loss to Chicago but only found the net twice. Brock McGinn scored his second goal of the season, while Mason McTavish added his second as well, with McTavish’s goal coming on a power play.

The Ducks were held scoreless until the third period, with McGinn’s goal coming at the 9:44 mark and McTavish scoring with just 4 seconds left. Anaheim had 16 giveaways in the game.

Hockey Club Offense Breakdown

Utah Hockey Club took 19 shots on goal in their 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights, with three different players finding the back of the net. Logan Cooley scored his second goal of the season, Ian Cole added his first, and Alexander Kerfoot netted his second goal, tying the game 3-3 in the third period.

Cooley also picked up his eighth assist on Cole’s goal, while Nick Bjugstad recorded two assists, giving him two on the season. Maveric Lamoureux earned his first assist on Kerfoot’s third-period goal.

Anaheim Team Defense

Defensively, the Ducks struggled early, giving up the first three goals of the game, including two on the power play. Lukas Dostal finished with 25 saves and a save percentage of 86.2%. The Ducks’ defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 15 hits.

Utah Team Defense

Utah’s defense struggled late, giving up the tying goal with just 1 second left in the 2nd period and the game-winner 2:15 into overtime. Connor Ingram made 31 saves with a save percentage of 88.6%. The defense also contributed 8 takeaways and 21 hits.

Ducks vs Hockey Club Trends

• Anaheim has a 1-2 record in their last three road games. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
• Although Utah has a straight up record of 3-7 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 4-6. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.
• Utah has done well both straight up and vs the puck line when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 puck line in their last three games.
• The last ten games that Anaheim was favored, they have an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.

Ducks vs Hockey Club Prediction

If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Hockey Club are the way to go. However, with a payout of -220, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Ducks to cover. Even if the Hockey Club manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Ducks should cover the puck line.

For those assessing the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will stay below that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.