Anaheim Ducks — Nashville Predators 2:4: result, scoring and stats

The Anaheim Ducks ride into Honda Center on the back of a five-goal explosion, headlined by a Cutter Gauthier hat trick that sent the home crowd into delirium. Standing in their way are the Nashville Predators, who dispatched St. Louis Blues with authority and arrive in Southern California brimming with confidence. Two teams trending upward, two rosters finding their rhythm — this is the kind of matchup where momentum can swing on a single shift.

Gauthier's night and the Ducks' new identity

Three goals from Cutter Gauthier — the young forward delivered the kind of performance that defines a career. His strikes at 06:28, 09:11, and 19:26 dismantled Pittsburgh Penguins and gave the Anaheim Ducks a 5:2 victory that felt as much like a statement as a win. Mikael Granlund added a goal of his own, and defenseman Tristan Luneau got on the scoresheet too, underlining how balanced this Anaheim attack has become. For a franchise that has spent recent seasons rebuilding patience into the roster, nights like this are the payoff.

The Ducks have looked sharper in recent outings, and Gauthier's eruption is not an isolated flash. His chemistry with the veteran presence around him suggests a player arriving at the NHL level ahead of schedule, and Honda Center has found a new reason to roar. The challenge now is consistency: following a five-goal outburst with another disciplined performance against a structured Nashville side is a different test entirely.

Nashville's quiet efficiency

The Predators did not need a hat trick to make their point against St. Louis. Steven Stamkos scored at 16:07, Ross Colton struck at 09:02, and Nick Perbix sealed the game at 18:31 as Nashville cruised to a 3:1 home win. Three different scorers, three different situations, one controlled performance. The Predators' depth has been a hallmark of their campaign, and the addition of Stamkos has given them a proven finisher in the moments that matter most.

Nashville's road form will be tested here, but the Predators have shown they can impose structure away from home. Their ability to limit high-danger chances and punish mistakes in transition makes them a dangerous opponent for any team that gets loose with the puck. Against an Anaheim side that will be buzzing with confidence, Nashville's composure could be the great equalizer.

Tactical chess match at Honda Center

The Ducks will look to play with tempo and transition speed, feeding Gauthier and Granlund in stride and pressing Nashville's defensemen before they can set up. Anaheim's recent success has come from aggressive forechecking and quick puck movement through the neutral zone, and they will want to replicate that energy in front of a home crowd still celebrating the Pittsburgh demolition.

The Predators, meanwhile, are built to absorb pressure and strike on structure. Stamkos thrives in half-space situations, and Colton's net-front presence creates second-chance opportunities that can flip a game's momentum in seconds. Nashville will likely sit in a tighter shell early, dare Anaheim to break them down, and look for the counter. If the Ducks press too hard and turn the puck over in dangerous areas, Nashville has the personnel to make them pay.

What the numbers suggest

Anaheim are more likely to win, with a 44 percent chance compared to Nashville's 34 percent, and a level score after regulation time is assessed at 22 percent — a scenario that would send the game to overtime or a shootout. A likely scoreline after sixty minutes is 3:2 in favour of the Ducks, reflecting their home-ice edge and the confidence of a team that just scored five. Notably, Anaheim's chances have grown by two percentage points since the market opened, a small but telling shift in their direction.

Two teams, one question

For the Ducks, this is about proving that the Pittsburgh win was not a one-night anomaly but the start of a sustained push. Gauthier's hat trick gave the franchise a headline, but the real test is whether the group can back it up against a team that will not gift them space. For the Predators, this is a chance to show that their win over St. Louis was no fluke and that they can take points in hostile buildings. Honda Center will be loud, the energy will be high, and both benches know that a statement win here carries weight well beyond two points in the standings.

Preview prepared from the match data · 11 November