CALGARY – The Anaheim Ducks’ surge continued on Friday night as they rallied for a 5-3 comeback victory over the Calgary Flames, spearheaded by the remarkable form of forward Cutter Gauthier.
Gauthier extended his goal-scoring streak to five games, netting the decisive marker with less than two minutes remaining in the third period. The win marks the fourth straight victory for the Ducks (9-7-1), who have transformed from an early-season underdog into one of the NHL’s most dangerous offensive threats.
The contest began as a nightmare for Anaheim’s netminder Lukas Dostal, who was pulled after surrendering three goals on just 11 shots during a shaky opening period. However, Ville Husso provided a masterful relief performance, stopping all 10 shots he faced to earn the win and steady the ship for the visitors.
Calgary, entering the game on a five-game home winning streak, appeared poised to control the tempo early. William Stromgren, Joel Hanley, and Joel Farabee provided the offense for the Flames (7-9-1), but the team’s momentum was ultimately stifled by a persistent Anaheim attack.
The turning point occurred early in the third period. With the Flames nursing a 3-2 lead, Calgary’s Matt Coronato was whistled for delay of game just 17 seconds into the frame. Anaheim’s league-best power play—which has converted on an astounding 13 of its last 23 opportunities—capitalized immediately. Leo Carlsson knotted the game at 0:55, extending his personal point streak to seven games.
As the period wore on, Gauthier played the hero at the 18:26 mark, one-timing a feed from Mikael Granlund to put the Ducks ahead for good. Nikita Nesterenko added an empty-net goal to seal the result.
The victory was notable for several individual milestones. Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe recorded an assist, extending his point streak to nine games. In doing so, he set a new franchise record for a defenseman, surpassing legendary Ducks players Scott Niedermayer and Oleg Tverdovsky.
For Calgary, the loss marks a frustrating end to their dominance at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Despite the defeat, Farabee continued his personal tear, scoring in his fifth straight home game—the first Flame to achieve that feat since Elias Lindholm in 2021-22.
The Ducks’ turnaround is firmly rooted in a power play that has jumped from 23rd in the league last season to the second spot this year. After a shaky start, the team proved their resilience by outshooting and outworking the Flames in the final frame.
The Ducks will look to keep their momentum rolling when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. The Flames will also be in action on Sunday, looking to bounce back against the Philadelphia Flyers.
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