The Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov, left, controls the puck in front of the San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, left, blocks a shot by the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke, right, during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke, left, and the San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith race for the puck during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Dmitry Orlov, bottom, takes a shot on goal during the first period of a game against the Ducks on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Collin Graf (51) controls the puck in front of the Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe (2) during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Leo Carlsson (91) scores a goal past San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, right, as the Sharks’ Sam Dickinson (6) and Ty Dellandrea (10) watch during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke celebrates after a goal by teammate John Carlson, not pictured, during the first period of a game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Dmitry Orlov takes a shot on goal during the first period of a game against the Ducks on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov, right, controls the puck during the first period of a game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith, left, controls the puck as the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke defends during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Michael Misa, left, and the Ducks’ Jeffrey Viel (28) and Frank Valtrano (77) collide near the Ducks’ bench during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke (45) takes a shot on goal as San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, left, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, right, defend during the second period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini, left, controls the puck in front of the Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe, middle, and Ryan Poehling, right, during the second period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Ducks fan waves a giant flag while cheering on the team during a game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Nick Leddy, front, controls the puck as the Ducks’ Chris Kreider chases him during the second period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The San Jose Sharks’ Vincent Desharnais (5) of the Sharks takes a shot as Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal defends his net during the second period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov, left, controls the puck in front of the San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith during the first period on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Honda Center. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks didn’t leave anything to chance this time out against the San Jose Sharks, whom they hectored in a 6-1 win on Thursday night at Honda Center.
The match was an Olympics of desperation as the Ducks broke their six-game freefall and San Jose faltered in a must-win position. The Sharks dropped both ends of a back-to-back set to fade in the Western Conference wild-card race. The Ducks prevailed to stay just one point behind the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division and move into a points tie with the Vegas Golden Knights for second place with three games left in the regular season.
When these two teams last met, the Sharks stole two points in the final two minutes with a stirring comeback that featured four points from MVP candidate Macklin Celebrini. On Thursday, the Ducks turned in an all-around dominant display and limited Celebrini to just two shots while earning their first win since March 26.
John Carlson, 36, recorded his first career hat trick behind two power-play goals to anchor an effort that also included tallies by Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano. Pavel Mintyukov, Beckett Sennecke, Troy Terry and Mikael Granlund contributed two assists apiece. Lukáš Dostál earned a 16-save win on a night when the Ducks never trailed, took no penalties and scored on two of their three power plays.
Shakir Mukhamadullin scored San Jose’s only goal, and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 27 shots in defeat.
Through 40 minutes, the game flowed, free of penalties, and was dominated by the Ducks five-on-five. They earned more than three quarters of the expected goals (per Natural Stat Trick) and all three actual goals while stifling the Sharks, allowing single-digit shots through two periods.
The Ducks scored on two of their first strikes on net and produced the first eight shots on goal overall.
Homonymous surnames reigned as Carlsson scored one of the prettiest goals of the Ducks’ campaign 2:59 into the contest and then Carlson made it 2-0 off one of the hardest shots of the season 3:21 later.
Mintyukov’s outlet for Chris Kreider allowed him to make a between-the-legs touch pass that sprang Carlsson for a burst through three zones. He shook Ty Dellandrea to his core and glided on net for a rising wrist shot. Carlsson’s 28th goal tied him for the team lead in points with the injured Cutter Gauthier.
Then, a strong hit by Sennecke on fellow rookie Michael Misa gave way to a weak clearing attempt by former King Tyler Toffoli. That was gobbled up by Mintyukov, whose cross-ice feed for Granlund allowed Carlson to receive a backhanded dish and launch a mortar that exploded just under the crossbar.
Killorn would cushion the lead with a transition tally, 5:14 into the second period. Another rookie, Sam Dickinson whiffed on a one-timer, enabling Sennecke to collect the puck and dart off on a three-on-one rush. His centering pass nicked the skate of a sliding Nick Leddy and bounced off Askarov’s pad before coming to Killorn for a tap-in, his 14th goal of 2025-26.
Carlson’s slap shot from high between the circles made it 3-1 on the power play at the 10:31 mark of the final frame. All three of his goals were slappers.
Mukhamadullin trailed the play and let fly from the high slot to break up Dostál’s shutout with 7:20 to play in the match.
The Ducks got that goal back during a lengthy 5-on-3 situation. It was a second thunderous one-timer from Carlson for his second man-advantage marker and first career hat trick in 17 NHL seasons (1,156 games). He has four goals as a Duck and 14 overall in a campaign he began with the Washington Capitals.
The Ducks also have two defensemen with 50 or more points. Carlson and Jackson LaCombe are their dynamic duo, with the Minnesota Wild’s Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber being the only actual defense pairing to accomplish the feat.
McTavish’s hard drive to the net created a loose puck that Vatrano smacked home for his fifth goal of the year with 2:28 remaining.
The Ducks play their final home game of the regular season on Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks before finishing with games against Minnesota and Nashville.
Edmonton plays at the Kings on Saturday afternoon before finishing with home games against Colorado and Vancouver next week. Vegas has a road game against Colorado on Saturday, then home games against Winnipeg and Seattle next week.
More to come on this story.
*This report was compiled remotely.