Dostal Steals One for Ducks Against Panthers
Gauthier’s finishing and Carlsson’s dishes lift Anaheim while Florida clangs iron in a night that felt tilted the other way.
On a night that felt like it should have gone the other way, Anaheim got the result because Lukas Dostal wouldn’t budge and the kids finished the few chances they had.
The Panthers carried the chance quality — their looks added up to an expected goals for of 3.75 (expected goals is what the chances were worth) — but Dostal turned them aside and finished at a goals saved above expected of +1.75. In plain terms, Florida created enough to score more; Dostal took those away while stopping 29 of 31.
Finishing decided it. Cutter Gauthier buried two and added an assist, Leo Carlsson fed three, and Anaheim cashed on the power play with 3 on 4. Florida’s push was real — Carter Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Matthew Tkachuk were in the middle of it — but the bounces leaned West. There were four shots off iron: one by Verhaeghe and three by Ducks (Gauthier, Mikael Granlund, Tristan Luneau).
Takeaway: Florida drove the game, but Dostal and Anaheim’s finish beat the math this time.