Ducks Rally Past The Kings 3-2 In The Shootout

Photo: AP

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks traveled up the 5 freeway to LA to play the Kings. Lukas Dostal was in net against Darcy Kuemper.

Chris Kreider did not play due to feeling ill. Troy Terry was put on the IR and Leo Carlsson underwent a procedure for his left thigh. He is expected to be out 3-5 weeks. Sam Colangelo was recalled as a result and drew in this contest. Cutter Gauthier returned after being out due feeling ill.

The Kings scored in the early moments of this contest. Quinton Byfield beat Dostal glove side on an odd man rush to make it 1-0 Kings. LA led 1-0 after the first period.

Joel Armia scored just before the halfway point of the second. He beat Dostal with a one-timer from the slot.

Ryan Strome answered for the Ducks less than a minute later. He beat Kuemper with a one-timer from the right face-off circle.

Tim Washe then scored about two and half minutes later. He got to a rebound at the side of the net and slammed it home before Kuemper could recover to the near post.

There was a scrum in front of the LA net in the final minutes of the period and Kuemper got involved. Dostal skated to center ice, but nothing further transpired. The teams were tied at two after two periods.

There was no scoring in the third period and bonus hockey would be needed. There was also no scoring in overtime so a shootout would determine the winner. Beckett Sennecke and Mason McTavish both scored in the shootout to give Anaheim the 3-2 win.

Analysis:

The Ducks despite being shorthanded were able to pull out a win against the Kings after being down 2-0 in the second period. This was another gutsy effort for Anaheim who now has beat Dallas and LA while being extremely shorthanded at the forward position.

As close as the score was, the teams played a very even game. The Ducks posted a CF% of 48.6% and FF% of 50% at even strength. The Kings put up 65 shot attempts to 56 for the Ducks overall. The teams ended up tied with 28 shots on goal each.

Special teams weren’t a factor in this one. The Ducks went 0-for-2 with the man advantage and the Kings went 0-for-3.

Sennecke was named the first star of the game and he continues to be on fire. He assisted on both of the Anaheim goals and also scored a shootout goal.

This was a huge win for Anaheim. The only thing better would have been a regulation win.

Team Notes/Stats:

The Ducks acquired Jeffrey Viel from the Bruins before the game.

Washe scored his first NHL goal.

Cutter Gauthier didn’t play in the final 13 minutes and plays just under nine minutes. He was still feeling ill so Head Coach Joel Quenneville told the media after the game he decided to rest him for parts of the game. The flu has been going through the team’s locker room.

Anaheim is 5-0 in the shootout this season and McTavish is 4-for-4.

Jackson LaCombe extended his point streak to six games(7 A).

Sennecke extended his point streak to four games(1 G + 3 A). He has the third-most points (37) by a teenager in franchise history.

What’s Next?

The Ducks play the Kings again tomorrow at 7 PM in Anaheim.

Support us by becoming a DucksNPucks patron! Members can win game tickets, Ducks gear, and more!

Want to start your sports media career? Then Join The Puck Network!

DucksNPucks is part of The Puck Network, which covers the entire NHL. There are openings to cover your favorite team(s) and earn school credits! If you are interested, then apply by filling out the form here: Join Our Team. What are you waiting for? Start your sports media career TODAY!

January 16th, 2026