Gauthier scores in OT, lifts Ducks past Golden Knights

ANAHEIM -- Cutter Gauthier scored at 3:57 of overtime to give the Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Honda Center on Saturday.

Vegas forward Mitch Marner lost control of the puck coming out from behind his net and it went to Gauthier alone at the right hash marks. Gauthier, who also had an assist, turned and scored.

"I saw pretty much a pizza right up the middle, and I just tried to turn around and shoot it," Gauthier said. "Didn't really know what was going on, but I don't think the goalie did either, so thankfully, that puck went in there."

Jackson LaCombe and Troy Terry also each had a goal and an assist, and Olen Zellweger scored for the Ducks (14-7-1), who have won three of four. Lukas Dostal made 29 saves.

"Our last 10 games or so, every game has been on the line from start to finish, so I think that's going to help us out in the process," Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said. "We can value the importance of every shift in key games."

Shea Theodore, Braeden Bowman and Tomas Hertl scored, and Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights (10-4-7), who extended their point streak to six games (3-0-3). Akira Schmid made 29 saves.

Vegas has lost seven of eight games that have gone beyond regulation this season.

"We have to change something because we're losing points in overtime," Hertl said.

Hertl recommended holding onto the puck longer at the start of overtime and tiring out the opposition.

"That's kind of what they did to us, made us tired, and when you can change it will start to open up," he said. "Maybe when we start with the puck we shouldn't force things right away and maybe change a couple times and get them tired and wait for the opening."

Theodore gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 3:25 of the first period, taking advantage of a screen by Bowman to score on a one-timer from just inside the blue line.

Bowman extended it to 2-0 at 4:37 with a goal in his third straight game. He was in front of the crease when he scored on a loose puck with a backhand, his fourth goal in his sixth NHL game.

"We gave up a couple, I don't want to say casual goals, but they're a good team and you don't give them those opportunities right off the bat," Quenneville said. "We had to make some big saves later in that period and then we got going."

The Ducks then scored two goals 34 seconds apart to tie it 2-2.

LaCombe cut it to 2-1 at 7:43 on a one-timer from above the right circle after Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin broke up a breakaway by Beckett Sennecke, who was able to retrieve the puck and find LaCombe.

Zellweger tied it 2-2 at 8:17 on the rush when scored into the top right corner of the net with a wrist shot from the left circle.

Hertl’s power-play goal moved Vegas back in front 3-2 at 17:59, scoring on a tip from in front of the crease.

"We were a little loose in some ways, but then again I thought we battled and we did a lot of good things," Quenneville said. "I thought all the lines were contributing, a little more engaged as the game went on."

Terry tied it 3-3 at 13:50 of the second period when he scored off a feed from Leo Carlsson to finish a 2-on-1 rush.

"They're a really good rush team," Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "That's one of the strong parts of their game is creating off the rush, if you give them time and space coming through the neutral zone, which we did a couple times."

With the win, the Ducks extended their lead over Vegas to two points atop the Pacific Division.

"That's a three or four-point swing right there," Whitecloud said. "That's how we were looking at it going into this game, and those are the games that are exciting. Those are big challenges. They're the best in the Pacific right now and every team is trying to measure up against one another."

NOTES: Bowman is the second Vegas player age 22 or younger to score in three straight games, joining Alex Tuch (three games) in 2018-19. ... Anaheim has won after trailing by two goals three times this season. ... Gauthier extended his home point streak to eight games (five goals, 10 assists). ... Terry has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in his past 11 games. ... Carlsson became the first player in Ducks history and fourth Sweden-born player in NHL history age 20 or younger to record 60 career assists, following Rasmus Dahlin (85 assists), Nicklas Backstrom (70) and Mats Sundin (62). … Theodore extended his point streak to four games (two goals, four assists).