Anaheim @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2019 ) Anaheim 3, Arizona 4

The Arizona Coyotes try to build off a victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Arizona defeated St. Louis 3-1 on Tuesday to snap a three-game losing streak while recording the 1,300th victory in Winnipeg/Phoenix/Arizona franchise history, and sits two points behind first-place Vegas in the Pacific Division.

"We needed a bounce-back game and we came out to play, and I thought we played really well," Coyotes forward Phil Kessel told reporters after scoring the tie-breaking goal Tuesday. Anaheim shares last place in the Pacific with San Jose after a 5-2 loss at Vegas on Tuesday, and is 2-4-1 in its last seven games and 6-12-2 on the road this season. "At times, we've played some really good hockey, but it's way too inconsistent," Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg told the media. "Every night has to be a hard-working night. Hopefully, we can string some games together." Anaheim goaltender John Gibson was a bit more critical, telling reporters: "It's frustrating when we go out and we're not ready to play. It's a privilege to play in the National Hockey League and it feels like some guys are taking it for granted."

TIME: 9 p.m. ET, TV: FS West, FS Arizona

ABOUT THE DUCKS (16-19-5): Silfverberg leads the club with 14 goals and 27 points after scoring Tuesday. Rickard Rakell and captain Ryan Getzlaf have 10 goals and 25 points apiece with Rakell missing the last four games due to an upper-body injury and Getzlaf going pointless in his last seven contests. Gibson has allowed at least two goals in his last 11 starts, going 4-5-2 with a .901 save percentage during that span

ABOUT THE COYOTES (22-16-4): Nick Schmaltz paces the team with 32 points after scoring his seventh goal of the season Tuesday. Conor Garland has scored in each of the last two games and leads the club with 14, while Kessel's goal was his ninth of the season and second in the last six contests. Derek Stepan recorded an assist Tuesday after taking a big hit and leaving Sunday's 4-2 loss to Dallas.

OVERTIME

1. Arizona D Oliver Ekman-Larsson is scheduled to play his 700th game Thursday while LW Taylor Hall is set appear in his 600th.

2. Anaheim is 10-for-10 on the penalty kill over its last four games while the Coyotes are 21-for-23 in the past eight contests.

3. The clubs split the first two meetings this season with Arizona prevailing 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 27 and the Ducks winning 2-1 on Oct. 3.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Ducks 2