Anaheim Pulls Out A Win Against Montreal

Photo: AP

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks continued their homestand against the Montreal Canadiens. Lukas Dostal was in net against Sam Montembeault.

The Ducks appeared to score in the opening moments of the game when Jacob Trouba scored with a shot just inside the blueline. Montreal challenged the play and it was ruled offsides.

Cutter Gauthier then scored on the next sequence to make it 1-0 Ducks just 39 seconds after the puck drop. Leo Carlsson fed Gauthier and he scored on a one-timer from the right face-off circle.

The Canadiens then answered with a pair of goals in the next three minutes of play. Nick Suzuki scored on a one timer from the right hash marks. Lane Hutson then scored on a power play with a wrist shot to give Montreal the 2-1 lead.

Radko Gudas then tied the game with about eight minutes to go in the first period. He ripped a point shot beating Montembeault glove side. The teams were tied at two after the first period.

Jackson LaCombe score on the power play in the middle frame to make it 3-2 with less than eight minutes to go in the period. He scored on a one-timer from the top of the right face-off circle.

Carlsson scored in the opening seconds of the third to make it a 4-2 contest. Chris Kreider fed Carlsson at the side of the net and he scored beating Montembeault stick side.

Montreal then scored three times in a row to take a 5-4 lead and turn the tables on Anaheim. Cole Caufield score two of the goals and Alexandre Carrier had the other goal.

Anaheim pulled Dostal in the final minutes of the game and Kreider scored to tie the game at five and force overtime. He tipped a point shot by Trouba with 42 second left in regulation.

In overtime, Montreal had the puck the majority of the time and Anaheim had to survive a power play in the final two minutes to get to the shootout.

In the first three rounds of the shootout no one scored. In round four Cutter Gauthier and Ivan Demidov scored. In round six Alex Killorn scored and Dostal stopped Oliver Kapanen to get the win.

Analysis:

This game had a wild start and finish to it. The Ducks got off to a quick start, but the Canadiens answered quickly in a fast paced first period. Anaheim was able to take the lead in the second and then had a two goal lead early in the third, but then things fell apart quickly. Montreal scored three goals in just over five minutes of play. Thankfully Kreider scored in the final minute of the game to force overtime. The Canadiens controlled the overtime and the Ducks were able to survive the 4-on-3 power play and then pull this one out in the shootout.

The pace was fast and furious to start this game and at the end of the first period it could have been anyone’s game. It looked like the Ducks had things in control at the beginning of the third, but then it looked like they were going to lose in regulation. Anaheim was lucky to escape the overtime. Montreal controlled the puck for most of the time putting up four shots on goal. Anaheim didn’t get one shot on goal and had to kill off a penalty as well.

There is certainly no quit in this team. They were down 2-1 in the first and then 5-4 late in the third, but they were able to go to overtime and win eventually in the shootout.

Kreider had himself a night with four points(1 G + 3 A). He assisted on three of the first four goals and then scored the biggest goal late in the third period to force overtime.

Team Notes/Stats:

The Ducks are 20-0-0 when leading after two periods this season.

The Ducks are 13-0-0 at home when scoring first this season.

Anaheim is 8-0 in shootouts this season.

The Ducks are currently in first place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand over Vegas.

What’s Next?

The Ducks host the St. Blues Sunday at 6 PM.

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March 7th, 2026