NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Hischier scored first-period goals, Nico Daws made 16 saves and the New Jersey Devils beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Thursday night.
Anthony Mantha restored the two-goal lead with 6:33 left in the third, and Jack Hughes added an empty-netter with 6.1 seconds remaining. New Jersey won its second straight to improve to 6-4-0, while Anaheim dropped its fifth in a row to fall to 4-6-0.
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Anaheim Ducks' Nikita Nesterenko, right, and New Jersey Devils' Dougie Hamilton collide during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Anaheim Ducks' Drew Helleson, bottom, tries to block a shot attempt by New Jersey Devils' Luke Evangelista (77) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New Jersey Devils' Arseny Gritsyuk, second from left, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New Jersey Devils' Nico Hischier (13), center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso, left, defends the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Gritsyuk and Hischier each scored their fifth goal of the season, with Jesper Bratt assisting on both scores. Hughes assisted on Gritsyuk's goal.
Tim Washe scored for Anaheim on a tip at 8:20 of the third period. Ville Husso made 25 saves for the Ducks.
Gritsyuk opened the scoring at 4:38 of the first, connecting from close range off Bratt's centering pass. Hischier scored off a rebound on a power play with 41 seconds left in the period.
Ducks: At Philadelphia on Saturday
Devils: Host Los Angeles on Saturday.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Anaheim Ducks' Nikita Nesterenko, right, and New Jersey Devils' Dougie Hamilton collide during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Anaheim Ducks' Drew Helleson, bottom, tries to block a shot attempt by New Jersey Devils' Luke Evangelista (77) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New Jersey Devils' Arseny Gritsyuk, second from left, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New Jersey Devils' Nico Hischier (13), center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso, left, defends the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump has brokered an upcoming ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-ravaged Ukrainian city of Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians, the White House announced on Friday.
The localized ceasefire is set to begin Thursday, with the American first lady saying in a news release that the situation there is “on the brink of disaster.”
The White House said Melania Trump had initiated the discussions and that she and a representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the ceasefire. There was no immediate confirmation of the ceasefire from the Ukrainian or the Russian governments.
"What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus," President Donald Trump said of the first lady during a question-and-answer exchange with journalists.
Melania Trump has made helping children in conflict one of her signature issues and hosted a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue earlier this year. She has written Russian President Vladimir Putin to work on efforts to reunite families with children who have been displaced by the war.
Food and medical supplies have been scarce for months in Oleshky, which sits on the Dnipro River that separates Ukrainian forces from the city’s Russian occupiers. There is no electricity, heat or running water. Roads leading from town are mined and dotted with burned-out cars. Drones buzz overhead.
Once a city of about 24,000 residents, Oleshky was captured by Moscow’s forces on the first day of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Its buildings were shelled and burned, and its infrastructure damaged. In June 2023, floodwaters inundated the city after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed from an explosion that an Associated Press investigation found was likely caused by the Russian military. Hundreds of residents were killed.
Those left in the city along Ukraine’s southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms. Ukraine has appealed repeatedly for a local ceasefire to organize evacuations. Russia, which as the occupying power is obligated by international law to ensure civilians under its control have what they need to survive, had made no commitment.
Melania Trump said in the White House news release that civilian leaders from Ukraine and Russia will visit Oleshky residents to determine the level of assistance they require.
“Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination,” she said. “I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine.”
Melania Trump also said “an impartial American media organization” will accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process.
"This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected,” she said.
The statement did not identify the media organization.
The Russian state news agency Tass quoted Russia’s human rights ombudswoman Yana Lantratova as saying she has discussed the situation in Oleshky with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets. Lantratova did not elaborate, saying only that more information “will be released later.”
Earlier this month, the Kremlin said Lantratova would be in touch with Melania Trump’s office on the situation in Oleshky. Lantratova confirmed that she was in contact with the first lady’s team.
Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report. Follow the AP's coverage of Melania Trump at https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump and the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
FILE - First lady Melania Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Oct. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
In this undated image from video provided by the Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" on Sept. 30, 2026, destroyed cars are seen on a highway from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine. (Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" via AP)
In this undated image from video provided by the Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" on Sept. 22, 2026, smoke rises from a residential neighborhood in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine. (Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" via AP)
First lady Melania Trump speaks during an event about women's health, in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
