Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke celebrates his goal during the first period of a game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke chases the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The New York Islanders’ Adam Boqvist, left, battles the Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe for a loose puck during the first period on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) watches his shot get past New York Islanders goaltender David Rittich for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) celebrates his goal with center Leo Carlsson during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) celebrates his goal with center Leo Carlsson during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, celebrates his goal with right wing Beckett Sennecke during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the first period of their game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke chases the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The New York Islanders’ Calum Ritchie (64) battles Ducks goaltender Ville Husso, right, and Pavel Mintyukov (98) for a loose puck in front of the goal during the first period on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, front, looks to pass during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, celebrates his goal wit left wing Alex Killorn during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, celebrates his goal with left wing Alex Killorn during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The New York Islanders’ Emil Heineman (51) tips a shot on goal as the Ducks’ Radko Gudas (7) and goaltender Ville Husso, right, defend during the first period on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks center Mason McTavish shoots as New York Islanders left wing Ondrej Palat (81) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Ducks’ Leo Carlsson, right, shoots the puck as the New York Islanders’ Carson Soucy defends during the second period on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks left wing Jeffrey Viel (28) breaks his stick as he shoots while New York Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) and center Casey Cizikas (53) defend during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The New York Islanders’ Kyle MacLean, left, pokes at a loose puck as Ducks goaltender Ville Husso defends his net during the third period on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger, right, looks to pass as New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas, left, tries to clear the puck under pressure from Ducks left wing Jeffrey Viel with a broken stick during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Ducks’ Ryan Poehling is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the third period of their game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Mason McTavish, left, and goaltender Ville Husso celebrate after a 5-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier, left, and backup goaltender Ville Husso celebrate after the team’s 5-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas is introduced before an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ducks left wing Alex Killorn is introduced before an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
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Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke celebrates his goal during the first period of a game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
ANAHEIM — New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke could be squaring off in the Calder Trophy balloting at season’s end, but first their teams clashed on Wednesday night at Honda Center.
There, the Ducks produced five unanswered goals to split the season series with one of the Metropolitan Division’s top teams, prevailing 5-1.
Sennecke, 20, scored a goal and earned the primary assist on one of two tallies by Cutter Gauthier. Ryan Poehling and Frank Vatrano each lit the lamp, while Chris Kreider contributed two assists.
The Isles, who beat the Ducks, 5-2, on Dec. 11, got a goal from captain Anders Lee. Schaefer, 18, had game highs in time on ice and shots on goal, but finished with a minus-2 rating.
“You’re gonna hear and see a lot of those two guys throughout their careers,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said.
“(Schaefer) is gonna be special, and, when I say special, maybe more than special. He’s an amazing player with versatility. We had some containment on him on some shifts out there tonight that helped us,” Quenneville added. “‘Becks’ has been dangerous each and every night. Each and every night he does some things where I say ‘wow, that’s a pretty amazing play he just made there.’”
In net, it was a battle of backups. Ville Husso stopped a staggering 42 shots for the Ducks in his first action since Jan. 26, while former King “Big Save Dave” Rittich made 21 saves of varying importance.
True to form, Isles coach Patrick Roy, regarded by many as the greatest goalie in NHL history, pulled Rittich with 8:34 to play, facing a three-goal deficit. Though New York defended its empty net successfully for more than four minutes, Vatrano’s first goal since Dec. 7 and first point since Dec. 20 drove in the dagger with 4:11 on the clock.
“We did a great job [playing five-on-six]. I don’t think there were any shots from the middle, really. Guys did a hell of a job and got that big fifth goal,” said Husso, who admitted he was eyeing a goalie goal while up three.
After weathering a second-period storm, the Ducks made it 4-1 just 2:11 into the third.
Playing in his first game since Dec. 27 (broken shoulder), Vatrano barreled in on the forecheck, separating Schaefer from the puck. It came to Ryan Strome, who last played on Jan. 26, and he sent it to Poehling in front for a forehand-to-backhand effort that banked in off Rittich’s skate. Poehling has seven goals in his first season as a Duck.
Husso and company kept the second period scoreless despite a 13-4 shot disadvantage and three New York power plays.
“We had lots of shots, obviously. (Husso) played great, but we had to find his weak spots, too,” Schaefer said.
Before that, the visitors struck first but the hosts responded with three consecutive goals in their opening salvo.
Sennecke moved into a tie with Schaefer for most goals by a rookie with his 20th of the campaign as 80 seconds remained. He and Mason McTavish battled at the net front before Ian Moore shot directly for Rittich’s right pad. The big Czech kicked a mouth-watering rebound right to Sennecke, who leads all rookies in points with 51.
The Ducks now have three 50-point scorers with Leo Carlsson, Sennecke and Gauthier.
With 3:55 left, Gauthier put himself on natural hat trick watch when he roared off the rush. Kreider found a puck that squirted into the neutral zone, making a between-the-legs drop pass that sprung Carlsson. Scott Mayfield’s overeagerness left Schaefer alone with Carlsson and Gauthier, and Carlsson waited out his pass for a Gauthier one-timer until the last instant.
“(Gauthier) has an amazing shot and he’s gonna score almost every time he gets those opportunities. My job is more to have a lot of speed in the middle and feed him,” Carlsson said.
Gauthier drew the Ducks even at 12:56 with a man-advantage marker after Sennecke’s pass from below the goal line found him in the left circle. Gauthier has 31 goals to lead the team and eight of those have come in his past seven appearances. He also became the first player in franchise history, per team PR, to score five consecutive goals for the team, doing so across three games.
“The main thing with my offense is getting pucks to the net and getting opportunities, whether they’re going in or, if they’re not, hopefully I can create some offense for my linemates,” Gauthier said. “They’ve recently been going in, which is nice.”
Just under five minutes into the match, the Ducks gave up the game’s first goal for the fifth consecutive contest, a power-play tally on which Lee slammed home Tony DeAngelo’s rebound.
The Ducks next host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night, just hours after the NHL trade deadline.