Ducks gut out scrappy, playoff-style comeback win in Utah
After allowing the first goal for the 11th time in 13 games, Ryan Poehling scored a shorthanded goal, Alex Killorn scored out of a bit of chaos and Anaheim shut down the Mammoth in the third period to take a potential first-round playoff preview.
Mar 20, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) scores a goal past Utah Mammoth goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) during the first period at Delta Center. SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It had all the tropes of so many Anaheim Ducks comeback victories this season, but this game had a different edge. In a potential first-round playoff preview, the Ducks may have just learned what it will take to win playoff games.
The Utah Mammoth charged out to an early lead, but Anaheim scrapped back with a shorthanded goal from Ryan Poehling, a strike out of chaos by Alex Killorn and a shutdown third-period to hold back Utah, 4-1, on Friday at Delta Center. “If the playoffs were to start today, we would play them,” Killorn said of the wild-card Mammoth. “You can tell that, even throughout the league, there's a little bit of stuff going on after the whistle.
Teams are trying to feel each other out in these moments, but I loved the way we competed in the second, third period. Not a great start. We'll work on that.
Definitely had an excitement to the game. ” After allowing the first goal for the 11th time in 13 games since the Olympic break and the 43rd time this season (third-most in the NHL), the Ducks put together their co-league-leading 22nd comeback victory. Anaheim is now 22-0-0 when leading after two periods.
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