What we learned in Ducks’ 4-0 loss to Arizona

A night after they made it look so easy, a new, younger group of Ducks were subjected to hard lessons Tuesday in a 4-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes at Honda Center.

Takeaway No. 1: Goalie John Gibson took a step behind Frederik Andersen in the preseason competition for regular-season playing time.

Gibson, 21, gave up four goals on 29 shots a night after Andersen’s poise and movement shined in a 27-save shutout against a Colorado split-squad.

This wasn’t the Coyotes’ A team, either, yet Gibson surrendered two goals in the first 10 minutes 34 seconds, finding himself effectively all alone on one power play, then was beaten twice more by center Justin Hodgman.

“Chemistry not all there yet, Game 1, it didn’t happen,” Gibson said. “As the game went on, I got better.

“We’re young, but mature, and know what we want to accomplish.”

He said he won’t dwell on how his debut game compared to Andersen’s.

“If you worry about what other people do your whole life, you’re never going to get anywhere,” Gibson said. “I just wanted to get better as the game went on. Stuff like that happens.”

Coach Bruce Boudreau said Gibson played “uneven. First one, he wanted back. The second one went off a skate. The third one, he’d like a better attempt. And the fourth one, I don’t think he could’ve saved it. It’s something his character will come through from this.”

Takaway No. 2: Even if the games don’t count, some experience is needed to play well.

The Ducks were so young Tuesday, with first-round draft pick Nick Ritchie on the ice with wet-behind-the-ears centers Rickard Rakell and rookie William Karlsson, and forwards Devante Smith-Pelly and Emerson Etem, the energy wasn’t accompanied by polish.

“Really young lineup ... no excuse, but it’s early,” Boudreau said. “This group of guys really hadn’t played together too much, seven of them came back from playing in Colorado last night.

“The inexperience of being able to finish, the nuances of where to go when the puck was coming on the net. ... No one stood out, or we would’ve scored a couple goals.”

Takeaway No. 3: Etem is getting a long look to make the team.

The Long Beach product led all forwards in Monday’s victory with 17:31 of palying time, and followed that Tuesday with an 18:15 effort, delivering three hits and taking four shots while blocking one with a takeaway.

Etem was victimized by the team-wide panic around the net, failing to find a clean opening past goalies Louis Domingue and Marek Langhamer, who shut out the Ducks with 36 combined saves.

Takeaway No. 4: Moving forward, the Ducks will be off Wednesday before venturing to Staples Center
on Thursday to meet the Kings.

Boudreau said center Ryan Kesler, a major off-season acquisition, is scheduled to make his preseason debut, and the coach said he might give Gibson a quick return assignment in net. The team will also make its first round of cuts before the game.