(SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Getzlaf admitted after Anaheim's first regulation home loss of the season that the upcoming Stadium Series game has been a distraction for the club.
The Ducks won't be able to shake questions of the upcoming event on Thursday night when they host the Los Angeles Kings two nights before the clubs meet at Dodger Stadium.
Anaheim opened the season with a point in each of its first 22 games at home, going 20-0-2. The Ducks had a chance to match the 1978-79 New York Islanders for the second-longest home point streak to start a season on Tuesday night, but dropped a 3-2 decision to the Winnipeg Jets.
Cam Fowler and Nick Bonino both scored, but Jonas Hiller allowed three goals on 11 shots before being replaced by Frederik Andersen, who ended with 10 saves.
"We threw a lot over the net tonight for some reason," said Getzlaf. "We were being a little too fine with the puck tonight maybe. You're going to have nights like that. It's unfortunate the streak had to end like that."
Getzlaf had an assist to give him five goals and seven helpers over an eight- game point streak, but may be looking forward to the completion of Saturday night's game under the lights.
"There are a lot of distractions going on this week with the outdoor game," Getzlaf said. "Everyone wants to talk about it, and they have been talking about it for the last two weeks. It's hard to focus in on what you need to do and on the points at end. That's an excuse, and it's nothing that our group hasn't been a part of before or will be part of again. When there are distractions, we've got to learn to play through them."
Anaheim has done that for the most part as it lost for just the third time in its past 22 games and still leads the Chicago Blackhawks by three points for the most in the NHL with 79. That is also nine ahead of the San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division.
Hiller should get the start tonight looking to get on track. He has lost two in a row after winning a personal 14 straight, giving up six goals on 45 shots.
He is 8-8-3 with a 2.43 goals against average in his career versus the Kings, who wrap a five-game road trip tonight before playing as the host at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles opened up the trip with a win in St. Louis on Jan. 16, but has gone 0-2-1 since. The Kings were downed 5-3 by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Backup Martin Jones had a rough game, giving up all five goals on 34 shots faced.
"We're doing what bad teams are doing," noted Kings forward Justin Williams. "We're allowing special-teams goals, breakdown goals. When teams score goals against us, they (should have to) earn them."
Los Angeles did see Dwight King score for the first time in 15 games, while defenseman Robyn Regehr netted his first since Feb. 17, 2012.
Jeff Carter, meanwhile, scored in his fourth straight contest and has 13 goals and 21 points over his last 20 games.
Jonathan Quick is likely to start for the Kings and is a solid 13-5-2 with a 2.42 GAA in his career when facing the Ducks.
The Kings have won eight of their last 11 meetings with the Ducks, including a 3-2 shootout victory in Anaheim on Dec. 3. King had the winner in the ninth round of the tiebreaker, Carter had a goal and Jones made 26 saves in his NHL debut.
Getzlaf scored, Corey Perry had a goal and an assist and Hiller made 49 saves for the Ducks.
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