GAMEDAY 9/22/15: Ducks at Avalanche Preseason Opener Preview + Game Thread

Hockey is officially back for 2015!

Well, at least, teams are playing against each other now for the preseason as the public sessions of training camp have concluded in Anaheim.

Rosters

Lines from today's practices via Eric Stephens, Orange County Register

Anaheim Ducks

Jiri Sekac - Rickard Rakell - Max Friberg

Nick Ritchie - Mike Santorelli - Chris Wagner

Patrick Maroon - Julius Nattinen - Stefan Noesen

Bryan Moore - Chris Mueller - Tim Jackman

Simon Despres - Shea Theodore

Joe Piskula - Josh Manson

Jaycob Megna - Brandon Montour

John Gibson (Matt Hackett, Ryan Faragher)

Colorado Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog - Carl Soderberg - Blake Comeau

Alex Tanguay - Mikhail Grigorenko - Nathan MacKinnon

Andreas Martinsen - Joey Hishon - Mikko Rantanen

Dennis Everger - Connor Bleackley - Jack Skille

Brandon Gormley - Tyson Barrie

Nikita Zadorov - Nate Guenin

Nick Holden - Mat Clark

Semyon Varlamov (Roman Will)

Notes

Anaheim sending a lineup very similar to what folks in San Diego will likely be able to see this season with the Gulls save for a handful of veterans. Friberg is coming off a highly touted training camp that caught the eye of coach Bruce Boudreau, and will look to continue his push for a roster spot after finishing tied for the Norfolk goal scoring lead last season with Wagner. He's in a good spot to do so on the top line with Rakell and Sekac.

Fresh off signing his new three year deal that will kick in at the beginning of next season, Gibson has been announced as the starter tonight for the Ducks. He'll be facing Varlamov, and an Avalanche side with several of their regular NHLers in the lineup. Last season Gibson appeared in three preseason games, going 0-2-1 with a

These will be the first ever preseason games for Nattinen, Montour, Megna, Moore, and Mueller as Ducks. Ritchie appeared last season, while Theodore saw time during the 13-14 preseason.

Meanwhile over at Mile High Hockey, the Avalanche have cut their roster down to 44, and be sure to check out their threads on the Burgundy vs White game, recap of first day of training camp, and live thread on second day of camp.

Anaheim opened last preseason with a 5-2 win at Pepsi Center as part of a split-squad game, with the Ducks also securing a 4-0 shutout at Honda Center.