Ducks lose in overtime, will have to wait to clinch playoffs

The Anaheim Duck’s celebrate a goal during an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks, April 12th, 2026 in Anaheim California. ANAHEIM, Calif. — The 16,000-plus fans in attendance at Honda Center on Sunday night had one request.

With how the standings sat, the Ducks needed two points to clinch the team’s first berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in eight years. Win, and they're in. While the Ducks were trailing 2-1 to the lowly Vancouver Canucks after two periods of play, the start of the third began with loud chants of “We want playoffs” from the crowd.

The chants only intensified throughout the night, and it pierced through Honda Center after Leo Carlsson delivered the game-tying goal with 13 minutes left in regulation. Despite a valiant comeback effort, the Ducks fell short of the patrons’ pleas, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Canucks. “We wanted to complete that wish tonight,” head coach Joel Quenneville said.

“We still got some work to do. ” Cutter Gauthier returned to the lineup after missing the previous five games with an upper-body injury, and the leading goal scorer for the Ducks made an immediate impact upon his return. Chris Kreider poked a loose rebound right to Gauthier, who had made an easy tap-in to get the scoring started, not even four minutes into the game.