Cutter Gauthier breaks late tie in the Ducks' 4-3 victory over the Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher (11) is tripped by Anaheim Ducks' Olen Zellweger (51) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Sunday, March 15, 2026. Credit: AP/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL — Cutter Gauthier scored with 2:30 left, Leo Carlsson had two goals and an assist and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Sunday night to regain the Pacific Division lead.
Alone in front of the net, Gauthier took Jeffrey Viel's behind-the-back pass and snapped a shot past goalie Jacob Fowler.
Troy Terry added a goal and two assists in his return from an upper-body injury to help Anaheim improve to 37-27-3 and move a point ahead of Vegas in the Pacific Division. Chris Kreider had two assists, and Lukas Dostal made 27 saves.
Terry missed nine games. He tied it at 3 with 4:21 left in the five-goal second period when his pass deflected off the skate of Montreal forward Josh Anderson and over Fowler’s shoulder.
Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for Montreal, Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored. Fowler stopped 24 shots in his second start since being recalled from the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket on Wednesday.
The Canadiens were coming off a 3-2 loss to San Jose on Saturday. They are third in the Atlantic Division, two points behind Tampa Bay.
Defenseman John Carlson finally made his Ducks debut after coming over in a trade-deadline deal with Washington. He played 23 minutes in his return from a lower-body injury.
Anaheim Ducks' Leo Carlsson (91) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler, left, during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Sunday, March 15, 2026. Credit: AP/Christinne Muschi
Montreal forward Kirby Dach left early in game because of an upper-body injury after a high hit from Viel.
Viel caught Dach in Anaheim’s end three minutes in after the Montreal forward swatted at the puck with his arm but missed. Dach fell to the ice with his face in his gloves before gingerly making his way to the bench, and eventually to the dressing room. Viel was not penalized.
The hit came three days after Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas ended Toronto captain Auston Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit. Matthews has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Gudas was given a major penalty and ejected, then suspended five games for kneeing — the maximum the Department of Safety could levy because the hearing was by phone.
Up next
Ducks: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, second from right, stops a shot by Montreal Canadiens' Oliver Kapanen (91) as Canadiens' Alexandre Texier (85) skates in for a rebound during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Sunday, March 15, 2026. Credit: AP/Christinne Muschi
Canadiens: Host Boston on Tuesday night.
