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The Ducks and their veteran goaltender celebrated a milestone moment with a hard-fought win over one of the NHL's top teams, tonight downing the previously red-hot Dallas Stars 2-1 at Honda Center.

NHL GAMECENTER | DUCKS STREAM

The win, Anaheim's fifth in the last six games (5-1-0), pushed the club to 23-24-6 on the season, seven points back of a Western Conference Wild Card spot.

John Gibson made Ducks goaltending history in the win, becoming the first netminder to appear in 500 games as a Duck. Gibson, also the club's all-time leader in starts and saves, turned aside 26-of-27 Dallas shots, capturing his ninth win of the season.

The win, Gibson's 202nd in the NHL, also moved the 11th-year Duck within four of J.S. Giguere (206) for the most in franchise history.

Cutter Gauthier and Trevor Zegras scored for Anaheim, with the latter breaking a 1-1 tie early in the third period. Robby Fabbri, Alex Killorn and Olen Zellweger added assists, helping the Ducks improve to 2-0-0 against its former divisional foe this season.

Colin Blackwell scored the lone goal for the Stars, who fell to 34-18-1 on the season and saw their winning streak halted at five games. Goaltender Jake Oettinger, who will represent Team USA at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, made 26 saves.

Gauthier gave Anaheim the night's first lead with just over two minutes to go in the opening period, following up on Fabbri's drive to the net and quickly swiping home a bouncing puck after a Stars poke check knocked it free.

Cutter Gauthier opens the scoring with ninth career NHL goal

Gauthier has scored in two of his last four games and now owns nine goals in 53 appearances this season.

That 1-0 Ducks lead would hold all the way into the third period, despite a back-and-forth middle frame highlighted by outstanding scoring chances on both ends of the ice in the final minute.

First Killorn nearly made it 2-0 Anaheim on a rebound chance at the side of the net, but Oettinger sprawled across his crease to somehow get his right leg pad on the chance from in tight.

Gibson would answer less than 10 seconds later though, shutting down Dallas captain Jamie Benn on a breakaway and earning Anaheim a power-play opportunity when Benn whacked the goaltender's glove after the whistle.

Instead the Stars would briefly pull even early in the third period, capitalizing on an Anaheim turnover as Benn exited the penalty box - with Blackwell finishing a backdoor pass from former Duck Sam Steel.

But that tied score held for all of three minutes, as Zegras put the Ducks right back in control with a deft deflection of a spinning shot by Killorn along the left wing wall.

Trevor Zegras puts Anaheim ahead with deflection of Alex Killorn's shot

Zegras has found the scoresheet in back-to-back games and owns five points in his last six contests.

Killorn's helper was the 299th of his NHL career, and his third point in the last two games. The two-time Stanley Cup champ has earned points in four of his last six outings, and is tied for fifth among team leaders in scoring this season.

Anaheim, with some help from the man of the hour, shut the door from there, limiting the Stars to seven third-period shots to hang on for the 2-1 victory.

The Ducks will visit Los Angeles Saturday for the club's final game before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.