Ducks Ride Dostal’s Heroics to Gritty Shootout Win Over Avalanche
The Anaheim Ducks opened their road trip with a gutsy 2-1 shootout win over the Colorado Avalanche, and if you’re looking for the star of the night, look no further than Lukas Dostal. The young netminder was nothing short of sensational, holding off a relentless Avalanche attack and stealing two points for a Ducks team missing some serious offensive firepower.
McTavish Sidelined, Ducks Adjust On the Fly
There was some early lineup drama as Mason McTavish, who took warm-ups and was expected to play, was scratched just before puck drop with an upper-body injury. Already without Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry, Anaheim was down three of its top scorers before the puck even dropped.
Despite the depleted lineup, the Ducks came out with solid structure and stuck to their game plan. The first period was scoreless, with both teams feeling each other out and neither side able to generate much in the way of high-danger chances.
Viel Breaks Through in the Second
The breakthrough came early in the second period, and it was Jeffrey Viel who found the net. Viel, who’s quickly making his presence felt since joining Anaheim, beat Scott Wedgewood with a shot that snuck through a Colorado defender-who inadvertently screened his own goalie. That’s two goals in three games for Viel, who’s already matched two-thirds of his career high in goals from the 2021-22 season with San Jose.
Dostal Shines Under Pressure
While Viel got the Ducks on the board, it was Dostal who kept them there. He was dialed in from the start, but his performance in the third period was something else entirely.
The Avalanche threw everything at him-17 shots in the final 20 minutes alone-and he turned away all but one. Artturi Lehkonen finally broke through with just 3:39 left in regulation, tying the game at one and forcing overtime.
Even after giving up the late equalizer, Dostal didn’t flinch. He was perfect in overtime, stopping all three shots he faced, and then slammed the door in the shootout, turning away both Colorado attempts.
Granlund, Gauthier Seal It in the Shootout
On the other end, Anaheim made their chances count. Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier both converted in the shootout, giving the Ducks the edge and extending their shootout record to a perfect 6-0 on the season.
Ducks Survive Avalanche Surge
Let’s be clear-this was not a dominant Ducks performance. Through the first two periods, Colorado outpaced Anaheim in shot attempts at even strength, 39 to 32.
But the third period was a siege. The Avalanche racked up 33 shot attempts to Anaheim’s six, and it was all hands on deck defensively.
The Ducks bent, but thanks to Dostal, they didn’t break.
Special teams didn’t factor much into this one. Anaheim had just one power play and came up empty, while the Avs went 0-for-2. Credit to the Ducks for playing a disciplined game and staying out of the box-no small feat against a team as fast and skilled as Colorado.
Short-Handed, But Not Short on Fight
This win says a lot about where Anaheim is mentally right now. Missing three key forwards, on the road against a deep Avalanche team, and still finding a way to grind out a win?
That speaks to resilience-and to the confidence this team has in their goaltender. Dostal has now won five straight starts and has given up just seven goals in that span.
He’s not just holding the fort-he’s stealing games.
What’s Next
The Ducks head north to Seattle for a Friday night matchup with the Kraken. With injuries still piling up, Anaheim will once again need to rely on depth, structure, and their red-hot goaltender if they want to keep this win streak alive.
But for now, they’ll savor this one. A hard-fought win in a tough building, powered by a goalie who’s quickly becoming the backbone of this team.