Ducks Beat The Avs 2-1 In The Shootout

Photo: AP

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks started out their road trip in Colorado against the Avalanche. Lukas Dostal was in net against Scott Wedgewood. Mason McTavish was expected to play as he took warm-ups, but then didn’t play due to an upper-body injury.

There was no scoring in the first period.

Jeffrey Viel scored the only goal in the second period. He scored early on in the period beating Wedgewood with a shot through a Colorado player, who screened his own goalie

Colorado tied up the game late in the third period. Artturi Lehkonen scored with just 3:39 left in the game to tie things up at one.

Bonus hockey was needed to determine a winner. Both teams had chances to end the game in overtime, but neither team scored. In the shootout, Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored to give Anaheim the 2-1 win.

Analysis:

Tonight was the Dost-Wall show. He kept Colorado off the board for just over 56 minutes and nearly got the shutout. He made 17 saves alone in the third period when the Avs were all over the Ducks the entire period. He was perfect in overtime stopping all three shots and then he stopped the two shots he faced in the shootout.

The Ducks played decent for 40 minutes by keeping the Avs at bay. Colorado put up 39 shot attempts to 32 for Anaheim through two periods at even strength. In the third period it was all Colorado as they put up 33 shot attempts to just six for Anaheim.

Special teams weren’t a factor in this contest. The Ducks went 0-for-1 with the man advantage and the Avs went 0-for 2. Anaheim did a good job of playing discipline and staying out of the box.

Viel has made an impact since coming to the Ducks. He has scored two goals in the three games so far with Anaheim. The most goals he had in a season was three in 34 games with the Sharks in 2021-22.

This is an incredible win for the Ducks who were without three of their top scores; Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, and Troy Terry. Anaheim continues to pick up wins while shorthanded. Dostal has been a huge reason for the recent winning streak as he had won his last four starts. He has only given up seven goals in his last four starts.

Team Notes/Stats:

Alex Killorn played in his 1000 career NHL game.

The Ducks are 6-0-0 in shootouts this season.

The Ducks have won five in a row.

Head Coach Joel Quenneville told the media after the game McTavish could have aggravated something during warm-ups.

What’s Next?

The Ducks face the Kraken in Seattle on Friday at 7.

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January 21st, 2026