Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke tally goal and assist to lead Ducks 4-1 over Devils

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke each had a goal and an assist, goalie Lukas Dostal made 32 saves, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Sunday night.

Frank Vatrano and Chris Kreider also scored for the Ducks.

Jack Hughes scored New Jersey’s lone goal in the third period, and Devils goalie Jake Allen had 26 saves.

Anaheim has won three straight and five of the last six to move into a first-place tie with Las Vegas and Edmonton in the Pacific Division, an encouraging start for a team trying to snap a seven-season playoff drought. Their 15 points is the most through 11 games since 2014-2015.

The Ducks took advantage of their second straight game against a road-weary Eastern Conference club, outscoring the Detroit Red Wings and Devils by a combined 9-3.

Anaheim scored three goals within the game’s first 22 minutes and dominated the first two periods before New Jersey came to life in the third.

Moments after Allen stuffed Sennecke at the doorstep, Hughes took a pass from Dawson Mercer on a two-on-one break and one-timed a shot past a sprawling Dostal.

But Dostal and the Ducks held off a furious Devils rally in the final minutes, and Kreider scored on an empty netter with 1:54 left to seal the win.

Anaheim scored on its first shot of the game. Sennecke took a pass from Gauthier as he crossed the blue line, shielded New Jersey defenseman Dennis Cholowski with his body as he charged the net and slipped a lunging shot under Allen's right armpit.

The Ducks made it 3-0 just 1:54 into the second period when Gauthier scored from an almost impossible angle, snapping a left-handed wrist shot from just inside the right goal line under Allen’s left pad for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

Ducks: Host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry (19) looks to shoot while under pressure from New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) reacts after the Anaheim Ducks score during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) is greeted by center Ryan Poehling (25) after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

SEATTLE (AP) — All Vinnie Pasquantino needed was a few days of rest, a morning walk around Seattle and a warm, sunny day at T-Mobile Park to get back on track for the Kansas City Royals.

Pasquantino had two hits — including a solo homer — two RBIs and two runs in his return to Kansas City’s lineup against the Seattle Mariners after sitting out the previous two games because of lower back tightness. He batted third and played first base in the Royals' 7-6 win.

“I told them yesterday, I want in,” Pasquantino said. “And I’ll let them know if anything changes.”

His single to right field drove in Kansas City’s opening run in the first inning. He then belted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Bryan Woo on a 2-0 count, a Statcast-projected 404-foot blast into the second deck in right. It gave the Royals a 5-3 lead before Jac Caglianone followed with a solo home run to right.

Pasquantino said it has been an issue he has dealt with for a while after he was removed in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game. He also appeared in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending flyout in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Athletics.

“We hope that he’s not going to have to deal with it the whole season,” manager Matt Quatraro said before Friday’s game. “But he’ll probably feel it for a handful of days before it resolves.”

But it felt good in Friday’s win.

“We’ll see how it feels in about an hour when all the adrenaline comes down,” Pasquantino said.

Pasquantino, 28, is off to a slow start this season for Kansas City, batting .176 with three doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits an RBI single to score Maikel Garcia against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)