Cutter Gauthier scored his first NHL hat trick and added an assist for a four-point game, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 7-3 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. The win marked the Ducks' fourth straight victory and improved their record to 8-3-1. The Panthers, who fell to 6-6-1, had taken a brief lead in the second period before Anaheim pulled away with five unanswered goals.
The game took place at Honda Center in Anaheim, where the Ducks hosted the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers. Anaheim jumped ahead early when Gauthier scored on a breakaway at 3:09 of the first period, beating Sergei Bobrovsky five-hole for a 1-0 lead. Brad Marchand tied it 1-1 at 10:14 on another breakaway after a Ducks turnover.
Gauthier restored the lead 2-1 on the power play at 15:17 with a one-timer from the right circle. In the second period, Evan Rodrigues evened it at 2-2 on a breakaway at 5:21, but Eetu Luostarinen gave Florida a 3-2 edge on the power play at 10:37, tipping in a pass from Rodrigues.
The Ducks responded forcefully, with Gauthier completing his hat trick on the power play at 15:36 to tie it 3-3—his 10th goal of the season, tied for the NHL lead. Nikita Nesterenko then scored his first goal of the year on a rebound at 17:19 for a 4-3 advantage.
A collision early in the third period sent Rodrigues to the locker room after contact with Leo Carlsson, who received a five-minute major interference penalty and game misconduct. Ducks coach Joel Quenneville called it an unfortunate hit with no intention. Rodrigues returned, but Anaheim extended the lead as Jacob Trouba scored on a rebound at 11:43, Chris Kreider tipped in a goal at 13:21, and Jansen Harkins swept in the final tally at 14:47 for 7-3.
Lukas Dostal made 18 saves for Anaheim, while Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots. Gauthier, who became the fourth-youngest Duck to record a hat trick at 21 years and 289 days, praised the team's depth: "We're super confident. We have a really good team. A lot of depth, guys buying in."
Panthers coach Paul Maurice noted Anaheim's development: "They're in that mix of teams that have acquired the talent through the draft and have done a really good job with it." Florida forward Noah Gregor added, "We played well enough to be in it, but it’s not really well enough and up to our standards."
The Ducks lead the NHL with 3.92 goals per game and have scored at least seven goals three times this season. Gauthier and Carlsson extended their point streaks to seven games, the longest for teammates 21 or younger since McDavid and Draisaitl in 2016-17.