Gauthier Hat Trick Powers Ducks to 5-2 Win Over Penguins

Gauthier Dominates Offense

Cutter Gauthier was the defining factor in the Anaheim Ducks’ 5-2 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Honda Center. The home team’s star forward notched his third hat trick of the month, finishing the game with three goals and one assist for four points.

His performance was central to Anaheim’s offensive surge, as he capitalized on scoring chances across all three periods to secure the win for the 10-7-1 Ducks.

Period-by-Period Breakdown

The Ducks established an early lead in the first period when Mikael Granlund scored the game’s opening goal, assisted by Gauthier and Jackson LaCombe. The home team extended their advantage in the second period, with Gauthier scoring twice. His first goal of the period was assisted by Granlund and LaCombe, while his second was set up by Granlund and Beckett Sennecke.

The Ducks entered the third period with a 3-0 lead, maintaining control of the game’s flow.

In the third period, Gauthier completed his hat trick with a snap shot, assisted by LaCombe and Granlund, to make it 5-1. The Penguins managed to score twice to reduce the deficit slightly. Kris Letang broke through for Pittsburgh with a slap shot, assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson.

Later, Rickard Rakell scored for the visitors, assisted by Sidney Crosby and Malkin. Despite the late scoring efforts, the Ducks held firm to close out the game.

Statistical Highlights and Records

Granlund also had a standout performance, recording three assists to pair with his goal, giving him four points for the evening. For the Penguins, Malkin was the top performer with two assists, while Letang and Rakell provided the lone goals for the visiting squad. The final score of 5-2 reflects the Ducks’ superior offensive execution.

With the win, the Ducks improved to 10 wins, seven losses, and one overtime loss, accumulating 21 points. The Penguins dropped to six wins, ten losses, and two overtime losses, sitting at 14 points. The game drew an attendance of 17,174 fans at Honda Center.

Sources

ESPN