Ville Husso steller in net as Ducks score 5 unanswered goals to top Islanders

Cutter Gauthier scored twice in the first period as Anaheim rallied from an early deficit

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Anaheim Ducks scored five unanswered goals, including two by Cutter Gauthier in the first period, to defeat the surging New York Islanders 5-1 on Wednesday night. Ville Husso made 42 saves in net for the Ducks, who remain one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. Anders Lee scored the lone goal for the Islanders, who saw their five-game winning streak snapped.

Why it matters

The Ducks' win over the Islanders is an important result in the tight Pacific Division race, as Anaheim looks to end its playoff drought dating back to 2018. Meanwhile, the Islanders' loss drops them into a tie for second place in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The details

Cutter Gauthier scored the Ducks' first two goals in the first period, with Beckett Sennecke adding another late in the frame. Ryan Poehling and Frank Vatrano scored insurance goals in the third period for Anaheim. Ville Husso was stellar in net for the Ducks, making 42 saves. Anders Lee scored the lone goal for the Islanders, who were unable to overcome the early deficit.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.
  • Lee opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 4:58 into the first period.
  • Gauthier scored the Ducks' first goal on the power play about 8 minutes later.
  • Gauthier scored the go-ahead goal for Anaheim with 3:55 left in the first period.
  • Sennecke extended the Ducks' lead 2:35 after Gauthier's second goal.

The players

Ville Husso

The goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks who made 42 saves in the win.

Cutter Gauthier

The Ducks forward who scored the team's first two goals in the first period to spark the comeback.

Anders Lee

The Islanders captain who scored the team's lone goal in the first period.

David Rittich

The Islanders goaltender who recorded 21 saves in the loss.

Frank Vatrano

The Ducks forward who scored an empty-net goal late in the third period to seal the win.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to respond better when we fall behind early. This was a tough loss, but we'll regroup and look to bounce back in our next game.”

— Anders Lee, Islanders Captain (Islanders Team Website)

“Ville was outstanding in net for us tonight. Our guys really battled back after falling behind early, and that's the kind of resilience we'll need to keep pace in this tight division race.”

— Dallas Eakins, Ducks Head Coach (Ducks Team Website)

What’s next

The Ducks will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Islanders will aim to rebound in their next game as they try to maintain their position in the Metropolitan Division standings.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Ducks' ability to overcome early deficits and the strong goaltending of Ville Husso, which will be crucial factors as Anaheim tries to end its playoff drought. For the Islanders, the loss underscores the need to maintain their intensity and composure when facing an early deficit, something they'll need to address as they look to secure a postseason berth.