Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, reaches out for a loose puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski pursues during the second period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ducks left wing Alex Killorn, left, battles for control of the puck with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns during the first period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, drives past Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson to put a shot on goal during the second period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, congratulates teammate Jeffrey Viel after his goal during the second period of their game against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood, back, stops a shot from Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke during the first period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood pulls his gloves on during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, center, passes the puck while driving between Colorado Avalanche center Parker Kelly, left, and defenseman Josh Manson during the second period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood makes a stick save during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal celebrates after a 2-1 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night in Denver. Dostal had 40 saves through overtime then made two more in the shootout. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, reaches out for a loose puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski pursues during the second period on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER — Lukas Dostal took on the league’s top team on its home ice and nearly pitched a shutout.
Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored in the shootout and Dostal made 40 saves – and two more in the shootout – as the Ducks defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche for their fifth straight win on Wednesday night at Ball Arena.
Jeffrey Viel scored in his second straight game as the Ducks kicked off their six-game road trip with an impressive win.
Artturi Lehkonen scored an equalizer with 3:39 left in the third period and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves for the Avalanche (34-5-9), who have lost three of four and are 3-3-2 in their past eight games.
After a back-and-forth overtime, Granlund scored to open the shootout. Dostal stopped chances by Brock Nelson and Martin Necas before Gauthier won it on the Ducks’ third attempt.
“Obviously, felt really good today,” Dostal told NHL.com. “The guys did a [heck] of a job in the defense, honestly. Like they allowed me to see the pucks whenever there was a cross-seam pass or whatever. We know they play like that. So, I was just trying to make sure that I’m aware of five guys on the ice that play against me, and it worked out well today.”
There was plenty of praise being passed around by the Ducks (26-21-3), who had lost nine straight prior to their winning streak.
“It’s a team win and ‘Dosty’ played a great game, but I thought a lot of guys played a great game tonight,” Gauthier told NHL.com. “Obviously, when a team scores late on you after having a lead for almost 55 minutes in a game, it [stinks], but you have to do what you can and control what you can control to get the job done.”
Lehkonen scored on a one-timer on the short side past Dostal’s glove from the right circle off a crossing pass from Nelson, who took the puck down to the bottom of the left circle before finding Lehkonen.
Viel played 10 games with Boston before being dealt to the Ducks last Friday. He was in the lineup on Saturday night against the Kings and then scored his first goal of the season in Monday’s victory over the New York Rangers.
He got his second goal in three games with the Ducks early in the second period. Gauthier had the puck near the right boards and sent a pass to Viel as he skated down the left slot. Viel beat Wedgewood with a snap shot inside the left post at 1:27.
“I didn’t see much, honestly,” Viel told NHL.com. “I just got the puck and looked up, and I think it was [teammate Radko Gudas] driving the net. And kind of just tried to put it on there, and, yeah, went in.”
Dostal made the goal stand up for the rest of the period, stopping 11 shots and frustrating Colorado winger Ross Colton with a save on a redirect. Colton banged his stick of the glass at the missed opportunity.
The Avalanche outshot the Ducks 18-4 in the third and had two great chances in the first 20 seconds of the period but Dostal made a save on Nelson and another on Sam Malinski.
“Thank the goalie, for sure. I mean, that was all goalie,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville told NHL.com. “I think that we did some good things in front of him, but they had some great all-alone looks on several occasions tonight. So, you can see why they haven’t had too many one-goal games this year, because they’re dangerous every time they step on the ice.”
Wedgewood said the Avalanche simply got “goalied” on a night when the Ducks didn’t pose many threats offensively.
“They had nothing. I mean, I think they just dumped the puck for 40 minutes,” Wedgewood told NHL.com. “I felt like I had more touches, I think, with my stick than I made saves. They get a nice play in the second early on to go up, and you’re just waiting for one. He played a [heck] of a game over there for them to keep them up as long as possible.”
Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th career NHL game for the Ducks. He spent 11 years with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice, before signing with the Ducks as a free agent in 2023.
“Super special,” Gauthier told NHL.com of Killorn’s milestone. “Not too many players play 1,000 games in the National Hockey League, and it couldn’t have happened to a better person and a great player too. So, I’m super happy we’re able to get the two points, especially on his 1,000th game.”
McTAVISH SCRATCHED
The Ducks played without top-line center Mason McTavish, who was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Jansen Harkins replaced him in the lineup.
“I don’t know how long he’s going to be out,” Quenneville told NHL.com. “I don’t think it’s too serious, but we’ll know more next day or so. I think [it happened] post warmup, could have been warmup too, though. Warmup could have triggered it.”
Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin returned after missing Monday night’s win against the Washington Capitals. He was involved in a car accident on his way to the rink and was held out as a precaution.
The Avalanche played without Gabriel Landeskog (upper-body injury), defenseman Devon Toews (upper-body injury) and forward Joel Kiviranta (lower-body injury). Forward Logan O’Connor has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason hip surgery.
UP NEXT
The Ducks visit Seattle on Friday at 7 p.m.