Recap: Gauthier, Clang Lead Ducks to 4-3 Win in Rookie Faceoff Opener

The Ducks opened the 2024 Rookie Faceoff tournament with a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche today at Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo.

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Cutter Gauthier led Anaheim offensively with a two-point afternoon, factoring in on both of the Ducks third-period goals and helping hold off an Avs comeback.

Alexandre Blais, Tyson Hinds and Yegor Sidorov also scored for the Ducks. Coulson Pitre, Carey Terrance, Sasha Pastujov, Sam Colangelo and Vojtech Port added assists. Goaltender Calle Clang stopped 39-of-42 Colorado shots.

Anaheim continues its three-game slate Sunday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks.

Jason Polin, Oskar Olausson and Max Curran scored for the Avalanche. Vinny Duplessis made 43 saves between the pipes.

Blais opened the scoring for Anaheim in the final minutes of the first period, capitalizing on his own faceoff win by tipping home Pitre's wrister from the high slot.

Selected by Anaheim in the fourth round of this summer's NHL Draft, Blais led Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) in points and assists last season with a 24-60=84 statline in 68 games.

Pitre, playing in his second annual rookie tournament as a Duck, will begin his first professional season this fall.

Hinds doubled the Ducks advantage midway through the second, finishing off a terrific backhanded centering pass from Pastujov behind the net.

A third-round pick in 2021 who the Ducks traded up to acquire on draft day, Hinds began his professional hockey career with San Diego last season, skating in 71 of the club's 72 regular-season contests.

Pastujov recorded 23 points in 46 AHL games last season, his first in San Diego.

Polin put Colorado on the board late in the middle frame with a power-play goal, a one-timer from linemate Calum Ritchie.

Both sides would a pair of goals in the first 15 minutes of the third, with Colorado twice getting back within one but neber finding that late equalizer to force overtime.

Gauthier first made it 3-1 on a fortunate bounce in the offensive zone, a centering pass intended for winger Yegor Sidorov that instead carromed into the net.

Gauthier would then set up Sidorov's goal that restored Anaheim's two-goal cushion, a perfectly delivered cross-ice pass off a 2-on-1 rush.

The Ducks prospects return to action Sunday afternoon (4:30 p.m.) against the San Jose Sharks. A live stream of the game will be available on AnaheimDucks.com and the Ducks screen of the NHL/Ducks app.