The Anaheim Ducks were on their second game of back-to-back play when the Winnipeg Jets visited them at home on Sunday night. The Ducks were on a six-game win streak entering the matchup, with young players Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier leading their team to success.
The Jets were entering game three of a six-game road trip, but had yet to win as the visiting team. The team’s leader in both points and goals, Mark Scheifele (20 points, nine goals), had not registered a point in two games and would be looking for one in Anaheim. Cole Perfetti would be making his season debut against the Ducks after suffering from an ankle injury. Lukas Dostal would defend the net for the Ducks, mirrored by Eric Comrie at the other end of the ice.
First Period
Beckett Sennecke battled hard for the puck to start the game, and his efforts were rewarded with a goal after a pass from Gauthier. Drew Helleson registered the secondary assist on the Ducks’ first goal of the game. Just a few minutes after the goal, Ross Johnston was called for hooking, and the Jets had a chance to respond on a power play. While they had some good puck possession and chances, they were unable to score with a man up.
Related: Ducks News & Rumors: Gauthier’s Goals, Team’s Hot Start, and Acquiring Panarin
The Jets had their second power play of the game after a roughing call on Sennecke. The Ducks managed to get two shorthanded breakaways during their penalty kill, and the Jets had a few shots, but neither team scored during the two-minute penalty. The Jets took their first penalty of the game– a roughing minor on Logan Stanley. On their power play, Troy Terry passed to Carlsson, who fired the puck past Comrie and gave his Ducks the 2-0 lead in the dwindling seconds of the opening period.
The Ducks outplayed the Jets in the first period. They were perfect on both the penalty kill and the power play, played a more physical game, and had better puck control. However, the Jets did outshoot their opponent (nine shots on goal to eight) and were dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 68.4% of draws.
Second Period
The Ducks’ lead was cut in half when Kyle Connor shot one in — long-time teammates Josh Morrissey and Scheifele assisted on the marker. Soon after their goal, the Jets were on the penalty kill after a slashing penalty was called on Dylan DeMelo. They held the Ducks to zero shots on goal during the kill.
Sennecke scored his second goal of the game off of Gauthier’s rebound, restoring the team’s two-goal lead. The goal marked the rookie’s first multi-goal NHL game. Ryan Poehling took a holding penalty shortly after the goal, putting the Ducks on a penalty kill once again. The Jets did not score on the man advantage.
Perfetti took an interference penalty in the last few minutes of the period, and the Jets had a successful penalty kill despite some good looks by the Ducks. The home team had 10 shots on goal in the middle period to the Jets’ six. With Anaheim holding a 3-1 lead heading into the third period, Winnipeg would need to make some adjustments if they were to rally for the win.
Third Period
Less than two minutes into the final frame, Haydn Fleury took a slashing penalty and put the Ducks on their fourth power play of the evening. Carlsson was able to capitalize on the advantage with a quick release, marking his second two-goal game of the weekend. Chris Kreider and Jackson LaCombe assisted.
The Ducks went shorthanded after Jansen Harkins delayed the game with a puck over the glass. They stayed perfect on the penalty kill. In the final minute of the period, Gauthier made a break for the net and scored five-hole; however, the play was ruled offside and did not count. Despite 10 shots on goal from the Jets, they were not able to get any past Dostal in the third period, and the Ducks took a 4-1 victory over the visitors.
The Jets continue their road trip in Vancouver on Tuesday, and the Ducks hope to keep their win streak alive when they visit the Colorado Avalanche the same day.
