Cutter Gauthier gets his 3rd hat trick in November, propelling the prolific Ducks past Penguins 5-2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier continued his scoring rampage with his third hat trick in eight days, and captain Mikael Granlund had a goal and three assists in the Anaheim Ducks' fifth consecutive victory, 5-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

Gauthier’s empty-net goal in the final minute gave him three goals and an assist for the Ducks, who became the first team since the 1988-89 Los Angeles Kings to score at least five goals in eight consecutive games.

Gauthier extended his goals streak to six games and his points streak to a career best-tying eight games with his fourth multi-goal performance during this electric sequence, including three of his four career hat tricks. He has scored eight of his 13 goals in this six-game stretch on power plays.

Jackson LaCombe had three assists and tied a Ducks record with an assist in his 10th consecutive game. Laurent Brossoit made 32 saves for his fourth victory in four starts in Anaheim’s net.

Kris Letang and Rickard Rakell scored 6-on-4 power-play goals in the third period after Pittsburgh had fallen behind 4-0. Evgeni Malkin had two assists and Arturs Silovs stopped 20 shots for the Penguins, who snapped a four-game skid Saturday night at Los Angeles in the opener of their California trip.

Granlund scored from the slot in the first period right as a power play ended, extending his scoring streak to six games.

After Pittsburgh failed to score during nearly 4 1/2 straight minutes of power-play time early in the second, Gauthier beat Silovs with a beautiful no-look shot for his first goal. Gauthier scored again less than three minutes later with a quick wrist shot.

Luneau ripped a power-play goal early in the third and extended his point streak to eight games, justifying the faith shown when the Ducks signed the defenseman to a $43.2 million extension last month before his first full NHL season.

Pittsburgh avoided the shutout on Letang's 6-on-4 score with 11:55 to play, the first goal of his 21st NHL season.

Penguins: At San Jose on Wednesday night.

Ducks: Host Nashville on Wednesday night.

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Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs, right, grabs a shot from Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse, above left, speaks to right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, celebrates his goal with teammate center Mikael Granlund (64) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

TORONTO (AP) — New Jersey Devils goalie Connor Hellebuyck will not face his former Winnipeg Jets teammates Tuesday night.

After stopping 23 shots in New Jersey’s 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night, the Devils’ new netminder was informed by his team that he won’t face the Jets in the Manitoba capital.

“This has been an organizational decision for us that we’ve debated at length,” Devils general manager Sunny Mehta posted on X. “Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday in Winnipeg.

“However, in our estimation, playing in this game would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability. Even though Connor isn’t playing, at his request, we will co-ordinate a media availability after Tuesday morning’s skate at Canada Life Centre.”

Hellebuyck was traded to the Devils by the Jets on Oct. 23, ending the star goalie’s stay in Manitoba, one that featured greatness during his 11 seasons, but ended with him suspended by the team after he requested a trade and failed to report for training camp.

In exchange for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner and the Hart Trophy winner as the NHL’s MVP in 2024-25, the Jets acquired forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, forward Nick Bjugstad, the rights to unsigned draft choice forward Alexander Command, New Jersey’s own second-round pick in the 2029 draft and New Jersey’s own seventh-round selection in the 2027 draft.

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New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, left, Cody Glass, center, and Brenden Dillon (5) celebrate after their team's win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck looks after the puck after being scored on by St. Louis Blues' Mason McTavish during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)