Cutter Gauthier scored twice on his 22nd birthday as the Anaheim Ducks secured a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers at Honda Center on Monday. The win marks the fourth consecutive triumph for Anaheim, who have improved their record to 25-21-3 after previously enduring a nine-game losing streak.
Mason McTavish, Jeffrey Viel, and Alex Killorn also contributed goals for the Ducks. Goaltender Lukas Dostal recorded 19 saves in the game.
For the Rangers, Artemi Panarin registered a goal and an assist, extending his point streak to ten games. Matthew Robertson and Vladislav Gavrikov each found the net, while J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck added two assists apiece. Spencer Martin made 21 saves in his second start of the season for New York, whose record now stands at 21-23-6 following six losses in their last seven games.
Robertson opened scoring for New York with a slap shot through Dostal’s pads at four minutes into the first period. Miller set up Robertson with a diagonal pass from the corner of Anaheim’s zone.
Anaheim tied it later in the first period when defenseman Pavel Mintyukov delivered a no-look backhand centering pass while falling to his knees. The puck deflected off Chris Kreider and Matthew Robertson before reaching McTavish, who scored with a one-timer from the right circle.
The Rangers regained their lead early in the second period during a power play as Trocheck passed to Panarin above the circle; Panarin moved closer to net before scoring with a snapshot. During this ongoing point streak, Panarin has tallied five goals and thirteen assists.
Jeffrey Viel tied it again midway through the second period with his first NHL goal since March 2022 after being acquired from Boston last Friday in exchange for a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft. Ryan Poehling’s shot produced a rebound that Viel converted.
Alex Killorn put Anaheim ahead late in the second period during a power play by sweeping home Jacob Trouba’s shot that had squeezed through Martin’s pads.
Gauthier extended Anaheim’s lead early in third after capitalizing on New York’s difficulty clearing their zone with a wrist shot from slot position.
Vladislav Gavrikov responded for New York with a power-play one-timer but Anaheim maintained its advantage by killing off a brief two-man disadvantage late in regulation before Gauthier sealed victory with an empty-net goal.
