Cutter Gauthier recorded his first career hat trick and added an assist as the host Anaheim Ducks earned their fourth straight victory, beating the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Tuesday.
Nikita Nesterenko had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, while Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider and Jansen Harkins all scored once. Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry both had two assists.
Goalie Lukas Dostal made 18 saves for Anaheim, which has won six of seven outings, beating Florida twice during that span.
Evan Rodrigues scored a goal and added an assist for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who have won one in six road games this season. Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen also scored.
Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots.
The Panthers held a 3-2 lead late in the second period before Gauthier scored his third goal of the night, receiving a one-timer from the right circle on the power play for his 10th of the season at 15:36 to tie the game.
Nesterenko gave Anaheim the lead for good two minutes later by tackling a loose puck during a scrum. It was his first goal of the season
Trouba provided an insurance marker at 11:43 of the third period, and Kreider made it 6-3 98 seconds later when Nesterenko’s shot ricocheted off his body.
Harkins also scored his first goal of the season, grabbing a rebound at 14:47 of the final period to complete the scoring.
Gauthier has now collected 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in a streak of seven consecutive games with at least one point.
The two assists extended Carlsson’s point streak to seven games (three goals, nine assists).
The Ducks started the contest when Gauthier opened the scoring at 3:09 of the match by finishing a breakaway.
Marchand tied the score with a breakaway goal just past the midpoint of the first period, but Gauthier responded with his second of the game on the power play at 15:17 of the first period.
Rodrigues tied Florida again with another breakaway goal, converting his chance at 5:21 of the second period.
Luostarinen gave the Panthers the lead with a power-play goal at 10:37 of the second period, turning away a perfect pass from Rodrigues, but it was all Anaheim after that point.
–Field level media
