Cutter Gauthier scored Anaheim’s first two goals of a three-goal first-period flurry Wednesday night for the host Ducks, who cooled off the surging New York Islanders with a 5-1 win.
Beckett Sennecke scored late in the first while Ryan Poehling and Frank Vatrano added insurance goals in the third for the Ducks, who have won 13 of 16 (13-3-0) since a nine-game losing streak (0-8-1) from Dec. 22 through Jan. 10.
Ville Husso made 42 saves in his first appearance since Jan. 26 for the Ducks, who remained one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Anaheim hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018.
Anders Lee scored in the first for the Islanders, who had their five-game winning streak snapped. New York overcame two-goal deficits in each of its last three wins entering Wednesday.
Goalie David Rittich recorded 21 saves for the Islanders, who entered Wednesday tied for second in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Lee opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 4:58 into the first, when he buried the rebound of Tony DeAngelo’s shot.
Gauthier scored on the power play almost exactly eight minutes later. Sennecke skated behind the net and dished to Gauthier, whose shot sailed past Rittich as he was screened by teammates Casey Cizikas and Carson Soucy with 7:04 left.
Gauthier put the Ducks ahead for good with 3:55 remaining after taking a nifty feed from Leo Carlsson, who passed the puck beyond a sliding Matthew Schaefer before Gauthier beat Rittich stick side.
Sennecke extended the lead 2:35 later. Ian Moore’s shot from behind the right faceoff circle glanced off Ducks forward Mason McTavish and Rittich before Sennecke put the rebound into the wide-open corner of the net.
Vatrano’s hard check of Schaefer behind the Islanders’ net created the turnover that led to Poehling’s backhander past Rittich 2:11 into the third. Vatrano collected an empty-netter with 4:11 left.
–Field Level Media
