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Ducks’ Nikita Nesterenko debuts in loss to Flames

March 22, 2023

Ducks goaltender John Gibson tends his net during the first period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Gibson endured another busy night, facing 40-plus shots in a 5-1 loss. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Ducks’ Isac Lundestrom skates with the puck in front of the Calgary Flames’ Milan Lucic during the first period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames left wing Nick Ritchie, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

The Ducks’ Max Jones, left, skates the puck against Mikael Backlund of the Calgary Flames in the first period at Honda Center on March 21, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ducks rookie Nikita Nesterenko waits for play to resume during the third period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Nesterenko logged 13-plus minutes in his debut in the 5-1 loss. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ducks goaltender John Gibson waits for play to resume during the first period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames skates the puck against the Ducks’ Ryan Strome during the first period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Calgary Flames celebrate a goal against the Ducks in the first period at Honda Center on March 21, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames defenseman Troy Stecher (51) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks left wing Max Jones, right, shoots the puck against Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (55) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks left wing Max Comtois, right, passes the puck under pressure from Calgary Flames left wing Nick Ritchie during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar, left, deflects a shot by Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) with defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) defending during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

The Ducks’ Ryan Strome, right, skates the puck against the Calgary Flames’ Nikita Zadorov during the second period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Ducks’ Frank Vatrano takes a shot during the second period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames center Jonathan Huberdeau, right, shoots as Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington, left, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

The Ducks’ Troy Terry skates with the puck during the second period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Ducks celebrate a goal during the second period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar checks his glove during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, center, skates the puck against the Calgary Flames in the second period at Honda Center on March 21, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Ducks’ Max Jones, left, skates the puck against Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames in the second period at Honda Center on March 21, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Calgary Flames celebrate a goal against the Ducks in the second period at Honda Center on March 21, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, deflects a shot with Calgary Flames right wing Walker Duehr, center, looking for a rebound next to Ducks defenseman Colton White, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington, left, clears the puck away from Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, deflects a shot with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk watching during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Calgary Flames center Dillon Dube, left, shoots the puck past Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund, left, vies for the puck against Ducks center Isac Lundestrom during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks rookie Nikita Nesterenko, left, talks with Kevin Shattenkirk, center, and Max Comtois during the third period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Nesterenko logged 13-plus minutes in his debut in the 5-1 loss. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames left wing Andrew Mangiapane, left, celebrates his goal against the Ducks with center Trevor Lewis during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks defenseman Scott Harrington, right, clears the puck away from Calgary Flames left wing Nick Ritchie, center, with Ducks defenseman Colton White, left, watching during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks center Ryan Strome, left, vies for the puck against Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Gilbert during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Ducks goaltender John Gibson looks down the ice during the third period of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Calgary Flames right wing Tyler Toffoli, right, celebrates with goaltender Dan Vladar after their 5-1 victory over the Ducks on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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ANAHEIM — There were several welcome-to-the-NHL moments for 21-year-old Nikita Nesterenko on Tuesday night.

First, the predictable ones. A rookie solo lap, sans helmet, leading his Ducks’ teammates for the pregame warmup at Honda Center, and then a spot in the starting lineup against the Calgary Flames, playing on a line with center Isac Lundestrom and Jakob Silfverberg.

Of course, there is a certain stress associated with the solo lap.

“Try not to think too much, try not to fall, not miss the net,” Nesterenko said. “That was the main thing I was worried about. It felt pretty quick and then the guys were out there. So it was pretty special.”

Only 37 seconds into the game, there was another brand of welcome-to-the-big-leagues realism when the line was on the ice for the Flames’ first goal, scored by former Duck Nick Ritchie, a first-round draft pick in 2014. Nesterenko logged 13-plus minutes of ice time and had four shots on goal in making his NHL debut in front of his father Mikhail, who was on hand for the big moment.

“I think we handed him a tough start,” Silfverberg said after the Ducks’ 5-1 loss. “Even with all those circumstances, even as the first period went on, his line got a few chances. Throughout the whole game, he had some good looks. He just didn’t manage to put the puck in. Overall, I think he should be happy with his game.”

Calgary scored twice in the first period, added a goal in the second and two more in the third as Tyler Toffoli had three assists. The Flames’ four other goals came from defensemen Troy Stecher and Rasmus Andersson, the latter scoring on the power play at 2:36 of the second period, and Elias Lindholm, just 46 seconds into the third, also on the power play and Andrew Mangiapane wrapped up the scoring at 15:26.

Calgary went 2 for 3 with the man advantage.

Flames goalie Dan Vladar made 19 saves, his bid for a shutout ending with Frank Vatrano’s power-play goal in the second period, at 7:26. Ducks goalie John Gibson made 38 saves on another busy night in net.

Troy Terry, the Ducks’ second-leading scorer, left the game with an apparent upper-body injury in the third period after getting sandwiched and did not return. There was no update on Terry’s status after the game.

Troy Terry is not happy as he walks to the locker room after being sandwiched by Zadorov and Ritchie#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/50pr8SZBfB

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) March 22, 2023

The Flames were coming off an embarrassing 8-2 loss against the Kings on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena and are in a desperate race for a wild-card playoff spot.

“We knew they were going to be a little ornery after the game last night against L.A.,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “Other than a few spurts in the second period, maybe about six minutes in the second, we couldn’t sustain much. Every time we turned, they were in our face.”

The Ducks have lost four of their past five games and now with 11 games remaining after Tuesday’s loss, it is clearly audition time.

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Which brings it all back to Nesterenko, who signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on March 15 and was on the ice practicing the next day in Irvine. It’s been a dizzying 10 days since he played his final collegiate game with Boston College, which lost in double overtime to Merrimack to end its season.

Against the Flames, there were promising signs after the opening shift. Nesterenko held his own in a puck battle along the boards with Flames center Nazem Kadri late in the first period. He had two prime scoring chances in a matter of seconds against Vladar with 9:30 left in the second and another excellent opportunity from the base of the right circle with 6:25 remaining in the third.

“The puck came at me quick there,” Nesterenko said of the second-period chances. “I just tried to whack it home without thinking. A couple of good chances. Gotta score on the next couple.”

Eakins praised his work ethic and alertness.

“I think he learned a couple of quick lessons about this league, how hard it is to be a winger on the wall,” Eakins said. “As the game went on, I thought he got better and better. There wasn’t much brightness out there tonight, but he would be the one bright light because I actually thought he played well.”

Nesterenko caught up with @AlysonLozoff after making his NHL debut tonight @AnaheimDucks | #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/dLip5biONb

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) March 22, 2023

Orange County Register

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Ducks’ Nikita Nesterenko debuts in loss to Flames

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