The Ducks fell behind early and could not respond in tonight’s preseason Freeway Face-Off, dropping a 4-0 final to the rival Los Angeles Kings at Honda Center.

NHL GAMECENTER | DUCKS STREAM

The loss dropped Anaheim to 1-2-1 in the preseason with two exhibition games left to play. The Ducks host the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday night at Honda Center.

Akil Thomas and offseason acquisition Tanner Jeannot led the Kings offensively with two point nights, a goal and an assist apiece. Vladislav Gavrikov and Quinton Byfield also scored. Veteran goaltender Darcy Kuemper, now in his second stint with LA, earned an unofficial shutout with stops on all 21 Anaheim attempts.

Recent signee Oscar Dansk made 20 saves for Anaheim in his second appearance of the preseason.

Jeannot gave LA the night’s first lead midway through the first period, cashing in on a rebound on defenseman Jacob Moverare’s point shot.

Acquired from Tampa Bay for a pair of draft picks, Jeannot joins LA after tallying 14 points in 55 games last season.

Anaheim’s best chances in the opening frame came on a shorthanded breakaway for Frank Vatrano and a shot off the post by Nikita Nesterenko, but both close calls narrowly stayed out of the LA net.

Gavrikov doubled the visitors’ advantage less than two minutes into the second, beating Dansk through the five-hole off the rush.

The 28-year-old Gavrikov collected his 6-17=23 points in 77 games last season, his first full campaign as a King. Gavrikov will be among the LA defensemen to carry a heavier workload early in the season as the Kings manage the absence of the injured Drew Doughty.

Thomas made it 3-0 four minutes later as the finisher on a backdoor pass by center Phillip Danault.

Byfield extended the LA lead to four with a deflected shot from the right circle that trickled through Dansk as Ryan Strome’s minor penalty for cross-checking expired.

Anaheim returns to preseason Wednesday against Utah at Honda Center.