Ducks Rally Past Rangers In OT

Photo: AP

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks continued their homestand against the New York Rangers. Lukas Dostal was in net against Igor Shesterkin.

Recap

Adam Fox got the Rangers on the board just over three minutes into this game. His backhand shot beat Dostal for the early 1-0 lead.

The Ducks would tie the game up with about three minutes left in the period. Alex Killorn scored shorthanded on a partial breakaway with Leo Carlsson. His initial shot was blocked, but he got the rebound and put it past Shesterkin.

J.T. Miller put the Rangers up by one at end of the period beating Dostal with a backhand move from the slot.

Rangers then added to their lead just 14 seconds into the second period. Alexis Lafreniere scored from the right circle beating Dostal with a wrist shot. New York was up 3-1 after two periods.

Carlsson pulled the Ducks within one in the opening moments of the third period. He took the puck from the neutral zone and used a defender as a screen and then beat Shesterkin stick side for the score.

The Rangers went on the power play a few minutes later and Mika Zibanejad scored to make it 4-2 in favor of New York. The Ducks then got into penalty trouble as Troy Terry was called for tripping and the team got a bench minor for too many men on the ice 24 seconds later. Anaheim was able to kill off the 5-on-3 power play.

Cutter Gauthier scored with about eight minutes left to cut the deficit to one goal again. Carlsson took a shot that was blocked and Gauthier backhanded the rebound in for the score.

Then with just under two minutes to go Olen Zellweger scored through traffic to tie the game up and force overtime.

Mason McTavish would win the game in the extra session on a nine tic-tac-toe play. Gauthier passed the puck to Jackson LaCombe and then he found McTavish in front for the tap in game winner.

Analysis:

WHAT. A. GAME! You can say whatever you want about this team and the areas where they are lacking this season. But one thing you can’t say is these Ducks quit. They have “that dog in them” as Carlsson stated in the post game interview. This team has tons of heart and no quit in them.

Anaheim found themselves down 3-1 after two periods, but started the comeback in the third period. The Ducks pulled within one to start the period and then saw the Rangers answer immediately on the power play to make it a two goal deficit again. The momentum shifted back to the Rangers briefly as it didn’t get the Ducks down. Anaheim was able to kill off the next four New York power plays and then scored two goals in the final six minutes to force bonus hockey. McTavish then completed the comeback in the first minute of overtime.

One key to this game was the special teams. The Ducks did not play disciplined hockey and were called for seven total penalties. However, Anaheim was able to keep the Rangers off the board in all, but one of those power plays. They came up with a huge kill in the third when New York had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:36. The Ducks didn’t convert on their four power plays, but Killorn’s shorty got the team going in the first period.

What a great game to be in attendance for. I told my best friend and podcast co-host Eddie with about 5 minutes left in the game that I felt the Ducks would tie it and win in OT. I sometimes get a feeling like that and it doesn’t always work out, but it did in this game.

Team Notes/ Stats:

Carlsson had his first career 4 point(1 G + 3 A) game. Is he on your fantasy hockey team? (Whispers “I have him on mine”.)

Killorn’s shorthanded was just the third shorty for Anaheim this season.

Jacob Trouba was shaken up in the third period when he fell by the boards and went to the locker room. They hasn’t been an update yet.

What’s Next?

The Ducks host the Toronto Maple Leafs Sunday at 5PM.

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March 29th, 2025