The Anaheim Ducks earned one of their most thrilling victories of the 2024-25 season on Friday night, erasing a late 4-2 deficit and coming back to beat the New York Rangers 5-4 in overtime at the Honda Center.
And Leo Carlsson, who led the way with his first career four-point game, was the comeback catalyst.
“I don’t know, I just think everybody has that dog in them, so it’s easy,” the Swedish forward told rinkside reporter Aly Lozoff afterwards. “Fun to get on the board two games in a row. Feels good out there. It’s not too hard, it’s not too easy either, so it’s fun.”
“Everybody has that dawg in them.”
First career 4-point game for Leo Carlsson@AnaheimDucks | #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/Mrx4t6t5w7
— Victory+ (@victoryplustv) March 29, 2025
The Ducks looked down and out after trailing 4-2 with six minutes left in regulation. But goals from Cutter Gauthier and Olen Zellweger — both assisted by Carlsson — late in the third sent the game to extra time.
And Mason McTavish finished off a nice passing play just under a minute into OT to secure the victory. It was his 20th goal of the campaign and seventh point in his last six games.
“Just a great comeback,” Zellweger told reporters afterwards, including NHL.com’s Dan Arritt. “There’s a few goals we want back, but it was a great effort there down the stretch, and a few big penalty kills to keep us in there.”
It was a full team effort in the third period, but Carlsson continues to impress after being selected second overall by the Ducks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
He’s been red-hot since the 4 Nations Face-Off, managing 10 goals and 20 points in 18 games following the 13-day break.
“He’s come back and he seems like he has more pace to his game, there’s more explosiveness,” said head coach Greg Cronin. “[General manager Pat Verbeek] and his staff did a lot of work scouting him when they drafted him.
“I remember asking Pat about him, ‘Is he a playmaker, is he a goal-scorer?’ And Pat said he could do both, he’s got an elite shot. We weren’t seeing that a lot early, and now we’re starting to see it. I think he’s got a really bright future.”
Ducks’ skilled young core is starting to figure things out
Along with Carlsson, McTavish has managed 18 points in 18 games, while Jackson LaCombe (17 points in 18 games) and Cutter Gauthier (15 in 18) have also been fantastic over the last couple of weeks.
“To me, it’s evidence that these young kids are figuring it out,” Cronin said. “They’re seeing a standard they have to play to, and when the game does get a little bit wobbly, they go back to it.”
Unfortunately for Anaheim, it’s too little too late to get back into the playoff picture. Despite winning two games in a row, the Ducks are 32-32-8 and a full 13 points out of the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference with only 10 games left.
Although it’ll be another missed postseason for the California dwellers, based on Friday night’s result, there are certainly good times ahead for the franchise.
The Ducks will look to make it three consecutive wins against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night.
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