Gauthier gets 25th goal and surging Ducks beat Kraken 4-2 to move closer to Pacific Division lead

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored his 25th goal and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-2 on Tuesday night to win their final game before the Olympic break.

Jacob Trouba, Alex Killorn and Ross Johnston also scored as the resurgent Ducks built a 4-0 cushion before fending off a late Seattle push. They've won nine of 11 following a nine-game losing streak (0-8-1).

Anaheim climbed within one point of the Pacific Division lead and moved two ahead of the Kraken for third place. Seattle, which had won four in a row and five of six, holds a game in hand over the Ducks.

Lukas Dostal was 4 1/2 minutes from Anaheim's first shutout in 137 games when Jordan Eberle redirected Jared McCann's slap shot in front for his team-high 20th goal.

A giveaway by Dostal led to another Kraken goal when a pinballing puck caromed in off Shane Wright to make it 4-2 with 2:31 left.

Dostal was forced to make several more stops and Chandler Stephenson rang a shot off the post for Seattle before time expired. Dostal finished with 26 saves.

Jansen Harkins and defenseman Jackson LaCombe each had two assists for Anaheim, which improved to 17-8-1 at home. Those were the first two assists for Harkins this season to go with his three goals in 31 games.

Philipp Grubauer stopped 27 shots for the Kraken.

Gauthier opened the scoring at 4:01 of the second period on a snap shot from the top of the right circle just as a Ducks power play expired. Trouba made it 2-0 when the defenseman fired a hard slap shot from the right point with 32.8 seconds left in the period.

Killorn scored from a sharp angle 24 seconds into the third, and Johnston made it 4-0 at 13:54.

Anaheim's streak without a shutout is the longest active drought for any NHL team. The last time the Ducks blanked an opponent came when Dostal made 26 saves in a 2-0 victory at San Jose for their lone shutout last season on Oct. 12, 2024.

Kraken: Play at Los Angeles on Wednesday night to conclude a three-game trip heading into the Olympic break.

Ducks: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 25 in their first game following the break.

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

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Ian Moore (74) blocks the shot by Seattle Kraken right wing Jacob Melanson (63) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (44) controls the puck away from Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans (41) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) shoots as Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson (6) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba (65) celebrates his goal with defenseman Jackson LaCombe (2) and center Jansen Harkins (24) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) celebrates his goal with the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Canada beat Slovenia 3-1 to make it five wins from five games at the ice hockey world championship on Friday.

Emmitt Finnie led with a goal and an assist and Denton Mateychuk and Dylan Cozens also scored. Jet Greaves stopped 13 shots as Canada outshot Slovenia 32-14.

Mateychuk, playing in his first worlds, skated to the top of the left circle before shooting past Slovenia goaltender Zan Us at 11:07 in the opening period.

Cozens added the second from the slot with 6:46 remaining in the middle period for his third goal in Switzerland. Sidney Crosby bagged his sixth assist at the tournament.

Finnie made it 3-0 by deflecting in a shot by Morgan Rielly from the blue line in the final period.

Rozle Bohinc scored a consolation goal for Slovenia with 1:05 left.

Canada tops Group B in Fribourg with Slovakia trailing by three points. The teams meet on Sunday.

Canada has won four games in regulation and one in overtime.

In a Group A in Zurich, Germany downed Hungary 6-2 for its first victory at the worlds after four defeats. Leon Gawanke sparked the Germans with a hat trick.

Later Friday, Finland played Britain in Zurich and Sweden faced Italy in Fribourg.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Canada's Sidney Crosby, left, vies for the puck against Slovenia's Miha Bericic, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Emmitt Finnie, left, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Dylan Cozens, second right, celebrates his goal with his teammates Canada's Canada's Macklin Celebrini, left, Sidney Crosby, left, and Canada's Denton Mateychuk, right, centre, after scoring during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, left, concedes his second goal past Slovenia's Blaz Gregorc, right, and Canada's Sidney Crosby, center, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Emmitt Finnie, right, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)