Rookie Matt Savoie then converted a rebound late in a power play for his 10th career goal, but Beckett Sennecke answered 46 seconds later with a slick wrist shot for his 19th goal — tops among NHL rookies.
Gauthier then converted a rebound of Carlsson’s shot, setting off a wild celebration inside a sold-out Honda Center.
Jack Roslovic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for Edmonton. Connor McDavid had two assists, giving the Olympic silver medalist an NHL-best 98 points in 59 games.
Ian Moore and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks, and Lukas Dostal made 22 saves.
Tristan Jarry made 20 saves before getting pulled for Connor Ingram after Sennecke’s tying goal with 13:21 to play.
Carlsson was outstanding in his return to the Ducks’ lineup after missing the final 11 games before the break with a thigh injury that kept him out of the Olympics.
Mikael Granlund didn’t play for Anaheim after captaining Finland to bronze in Milan. None of the Oilers’ Olympians sat out as they opened a three-game California road trip.
Up next
Oilers: At Los Angeles on Thursday.
Ducks: Host Winnipeg on Friday.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/nhl
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press