ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks pulled off a gutsy road win Wednesday night in Denver, edging the Colorado Avalanche 2–1 in a shootout at Ball Arena in a game that felt far more like April hockey than midseason.
It was a defensive slugfest through three periods. Anaheim struck first when Jeffrey Viel scored 1:27 into the second period, continuing a strong stretch with goals in consecutive games. Colorado finally broke through late, as Artturi Lehkonen ripped home the equalizer at 16:21 of the third, tying the game 1–1 and forcing overtime.
The five-minute extra session featured end-to-end action and several dangerous chances for the Avalanche, but Anaheim’s structure — and goaltender Lukas Dostal — held firm. That sent the game to a shootout, where the Ducks executed with calm efficiency. Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier both scored, while Dostal turned aside Colorado’s attempts to seal the 2–1 shootout victory. Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood finished with 16 saves in the loss.
Dostal was the clear difference-maker. He stopped 40 of 41 shots, repeatedly denying Colorado’s stars and frustrating a crowd expecting a breakthrough from the Avalanche’s firepower. Anaheim did all of this while playing without Mason McTavish, who was scratched late with an upper-body injury, making the performance even more impressive.
Colorado entered the night with one of the league’s best records and controlled possession for long stretches, outshooting Anaheim 40–16. But the Ducks blocked lanes, won battles along the boards and limited second chances, forcing the Avalanche to rely on perimeter looks. Outside of Lehkonen’s late goal, clean opportunities were hard to come by.
For Anaheim, the win continued a surge of momentum and reinforced the team’s growing reputation as a tough out, even against elite opponents. The Ducks showed discipline, patience and confidence — traits that don’t always show up in box scores but often decide games like this one.
For Colorado, it was a reminder that dominance on paper doesn’t guarantee points in the standings. The Avalanche did plenty right, but hockey’s margins are thin, and one locked-in goalie was enough to flip the result.
Wednesday’s game had all the elements hockey fans love: structure, tension, elite skill held in check and a dramatic shootout finish. Anaheim left Denver with two crucial points — and the unmistakable sense that this young group is learning how to win games the hard way.
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