Lukas Dostal was stout while making 32 saves, and Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier each had a goal with an assist, as the Anaheim Ducks won their third straight, 4-1 over the visiting New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Frank Vatrano also scored and Chris Kreider added an empty-netter for his sixth goal in seven games this season for Anaheim, which has also won five of six. Dostal, meanwhile, stopped all 14 shots he faced in the first period, all seven in the second and all but one of 12 in the third to earn a third consecutive victory.
With New Jersey chasing a three-goal deficit, Jack Hughes scored off a stellar saucer pass from Dawson Mercer, just out of the penalty box, in transition with 12:17 remaining in regulation. However, the Devils didn’t get closer as they concluded a 1-3-0 road trip.
New Jersey had won eight in a row entering the trip.
Anaheim struck 4:13 into the contest. On the push, Gauthier sent the puck to a streaking Sennecke, who got enough of his stick on the puck to push it past New Jersey goaltender Jake Allen (26 saves).
The Ducks nearly extended their lead just past the midway point of the opening period, but Allen stopped Troy Terry twice on a short-handed breakaway.
Anaheim eventually made it 2-0 with 5:36 left in the first, when amid some chaos in front of the Devils’ net, the puck found a well-positioned Vatrano, who easily converted.
Dostal, meanwhile, was sharp from the get-go — highlighted by thwarting Timo Meier’s up-close look with 7:47 remaining in the period.
The Ducks added on to their total 1:54 into the second period. Positioned on the end line, Gauthier sent the puck at the corner of the net and ended up with a leaky goal allowed by Allen, who entered 5-1-0 with a 2.39 goals-against average this season.
Dostal and Devils defense managed to hold off a late flurry of shots from New Jersey, which has won twice in its last 11 trips to Anaheim.
