ANAHEIM, Calif. — Leo Carlsson made a remarkable impact by netting the overtime goal just 54 seconds into the extra period, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. This win marked the Ducks’ ninth straight success in home openers, showcasing their dominance at Honda Center.
In the nail-biting matchup, Clayton Keller gave Utah a temporary lead with his goal making it 4-3 with 9:10 remaining in regulation time. However, Anaheim’s Pavel Mintyukov equalized just a few minutes later, tying the score at 4-4 with 5:05 left on the clock. Carlsson then showcased his potential, scoring his first goal of the season after receiving an assist from Troy Terry.
Robby Fabbri also made his mark by scoring his first goal since joining the Ducks, while Terry secured his second goal of the season. In goal for Anaheim, Lukas Dostal performed well, making 26 saves to help secure the victory. As for Utah, Keller and Barrett Hayton each notched their fourth goals in five games, with contributions from Jack McBain and Michael Kesselring as well. Connor Ingram stopped a total of 29 shots for Utah, which saw its record dip to 3-1-1 during the final game of a four-match road trip.
Observations from the game revealed that Utah’s offense is thriving, yet their defensive struggles continue as they have allowed a concerning 19 goals over five games, with opponents scoring at least two goals in each matchup. Meanwhile, the Ducks, who have faced a franchise-record six consecutive seasons without making the playoffs, managed to draw a sellout crowd for this season opener. Notably, Anaheim has demonstrated strong resilience, having not lost a home opener since 2016 and earning points in their last twelve openers.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Mintyukov managed to score after Ingram misplayed his shot, allowing it to slip into the net, consequently marking Mintyukov’s first career two-goal game.
Looking at the statistics, an area of concern for the Ducks is their power play, which remains scoreless at 0 for 11 to start the season.
Looking ahead, Utah is set to welcome the Boston team on Saturday night for their next matchup in Salt Lake City, while the Ducks will travel to face Colorado on Friday night.
