Cutter Gauthier’s second goal of the game was the overtime winner, giving the host Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 comeback victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
Trevor Zegras and Frank Vatrano also scored for Anaheim (35-35-8, 78 points), which erased a two-goal deficit late in the third period. Leo Carlsson collected two assists, and Ducks goaltender Ville Husso made 36 saves.
Mikael Backlund collected one goal and one assist while Yegor Sharangovich and Matt Coronato also tallied for the Flames (37-27-14, 88 points), who wasted an opportunity to aid their flickering playoff hopes. Goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 19 shots.
Calgary is five points outside of a playoff position with four games remaining in the regular season. The Ducks have been eliminated from playoff contention but happily played spoiler.
The Flames appeared to have the game in hand when they led 3-1 with four minutes remaining in regulation, but the Ducks responded with a pair of goals eight seconds apart. Vatrano made it a one-goal game at 16:03 with a bullet of a one-timer from the right circle, and then Gauthier tied the clash with a shot off the rush from the ensuing faceoff.
Gauthier completed the comeback 71 seconds into overtime. He joined a rush with Carlsson, gained the puck in the slot and fired a shot just inside the far post for the winner.
It was a wild turn of events.
After a slow start to the clash, Backlund opened the scoring at 14:18 of the second period. He created a turnover, went to the net and deflected MacKenzie Weegar’s point shot for his first goal in 10 games.
Zegras tied the clash at 11:49 of the third period. After a Flames turnover, the puck came to Zegras in the right circle, and he rifled a top-shelf shot for his third goal in five games and 12th of the season.
Sharangovich gave Calgary its second lead of the game at 13:44 when he pounced on a second rebound chance. Coronato made it a 3-1 game 94 seconds later with a rebound goal of his own.
However, the Ducks roared back and beat the Flames for the first time in four meetings this season and first time at home in 10 tries. Anaheim last beat Calgary at home on April 3, 2019.
–Field Level Media
