The NHL is headed for the Olympic break, and the Anaheim Ducks are going into the break on a hot streak. The Ducks defeated the Seattle Kraken, 4-2, on Tuesday, winning back-to-back games as their season takes a hiatus until February 25.
The two teams were tied for third place in the Pacific Division coming into Tuesday’s matchup. The first period was a defensive battle, ending in a 0-0 tie. Anaheim goaltender Lukáš Dostál stopped all seven shots that he faced from the Kraken’s offense, while his Seattle counterpart Philipp Grubauer stopped all 11 shots he faced.
Anaheim opened the scoring four minutes into the second period, when 22-year-old forward Cutter Gauthier scored his 25th goal of the season. The goal came right as a power play ended, and Seattle’s fifth skater had just made his way onto the ice.
With 30 seconds left in the second period, Ducks’ defenseman Jacob Trouba scored on a slapshot from the blue line to make the score 2-0 Anaheim.
The scoring continued less than a minute into the third period, when veteran forward Alex Killorn scored on a 4-on-4 to increase the Ducks’ lead to 3-0.
The Ducks scored for a fourth time with six minutes left in the game, when forward Ross Johnston took advantage of Grubauer’s mishandling of the puck behind the net.
Two minutes later, Kraken captain and right winger Jordan Eberle scored to spoil Dostál’s shutout bid. The Ducks remain the team with the longest shutout drought in the NHL; the last time Anaheim held an opponent scoreless was Oct. 12, 2024.
Left winger Tye Kartye scored a second goal for Seattle with two and a half minutes remaining in the game, but time ran out and the comeback fell short. Dostál finished the game, saving 26 of 28 shots, while Grubauer saved 27 of 31.
The victory placed Anaheim in sole possession of third place in the Pacific behind the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights, while the Kraken dropped to fourth place.