What we learned from the Ducks’ 4-3 shootout loss to Kings

A narrow loss to the Kings isn’t going to create many good feelings around the Ducks’ postgame dressing room, but there were some causes for optimism following Thursday night’s 4-3 shootout loss at Staples Center.

Ryan Kesler shakes off some rust

Kesler’s “rusty” debut featured a late third-period goal on his first shot, and he tacked on four hits while winning 14 of 19 faceoffs.

“Second and third period, he was really good,” Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Kesler, the Ducks’ major off-season push to answer last season’s playoff elimination at the hands of L.A., missed the final shootout shot when Kings goalie Martin Jones deflected the try to his right, but the consequences were noted by Kesler: “I don’t put much into shootout losses. ... I thought we were the better team in the second half.”

Kesler said he and Thursday linemates Patrick Maroon, who dished him the pass on the goal with 8:10 left in the third, and Jakob Silfverberg (with four shots) “had some very good looks” in the late-going.

He chuckled off the faceoff success as an accomplishment against “quite a few young centermen.”

Ducks need to improve from start to finish

Against a Kings’ roster with only six regulars, Boudreau said a complete game effort is still lacking.

“We’ve got to get better,” he said.

John Gibson gets better in goal

The second-year goaltender stopped 31 of 34 shots and kept the Kings scoreless through the first 30 minutes before getting beat three times during the next 20 on Jordan Nolan’s rebound, Dwight King’s shot off a brilliant Tyler Toffoli pass, and then a Toffoli breakaway.

“Gibby was much better than he was [in Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to Arizona] ... extremely strong early ... you’re not going to stop Toffoli’s breakaway with a perfect shot,” Boudreau said of the third-period goal that Toffoli basically duplicated in the shootout. “He’s more confident, rounding into shape.”

Hampus Lindholm turns it around

The second-year defenseman is capable of a new wrap-around move.

He swarmed behind Jones and whisked a pass to Emerson Etem, who scored 3:47 into the game.

“I just went around, had some good speed, saw Emerson got around his D-man, so it was easy to find him,” Lindholm said.