Ducks’ Radko Gudas to miss Game 2 against Oilers

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said Gudas was considered day-to-day, but what ails the rugged blue liner wasn’t revealed.

Gudas, 35, appeared in 56 games for the Ducks this season, scoring two goals and 13 points averaging 16:10 in ice time. Anaheim was outscored 36-32 with him on the ice at five-on-five.

In Game 1, Gudas played just 9:40, six and a half minutes below his regular season average. He missed time down the stretch run of Anaheim’s season, absent from the lineup in seven of their final eight games due to a lower-body injury and missed time earlier in the year, as well.

Helleson, 25, appeared in 60 regular season games for the Ducks this year, scoring two goals and 15 points, and will slide into Anaheim’s lineup on the third pairing alongside Tyson Hinds. In 900 five-on-five minutes this season, the Ducks were outscored 47-40, controlling just 46.2 per cent of the expected goal share, according to Natural Stat Trick. Wednesday’s Game 2 will mark his playoff debut.

“Drew played some nice games for us down the stretch here,” said Quennville. “Drew’s had some good moments for us, gives us some quickness, some size. We just want him to be consistent, be predictable.”

The Oilers have some lineup changes of their own, with Josh Samanski drawing into the lineup as the fourth-line centre to replace the injured Henrique. Jason Dickinson didn’t participate in Wednesday’s morning skate, and is considered a game-time decision. Curtis Lazar skated on the Oilers’ third line in his spot.

Puck drop between the two teams is set for just after 8 p.m. MT.