John Carlson’s 1st hat trick in a 17-year career sends Ducks past Sharks 6-1, snaps 6-game skid

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — John Carlson scored three goals for the first hat trick of his 17-year NHL career, and the Anaheim Ducks snapped their six-game losing streak with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.

Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano also scored and Beckett Sennecke had two assists for the Ducks, who jumped to a 4-0 lead and dominated their Pacific Division rivals for their first win since March 26.

Carlson scored two power-play goals in the third period, connecting with 5:57 left to secure the first hat trick of his 1,156-game career. The veteran defenseman has been exactly what the Ducks needed when they acquired him at the trade deadline, scoring 12 points in 13 games while steadying the back end for one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams.

Lukas Dostal made 16 saves, but the Ducks fell 7:20 short of their first shutout in 160 games since last season’s opener on Oct. 12, 2024 — also against San Jose.

Shakir Mukhamadullin scored and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 27 shots for the Sharks, who had won five of seven to surge into playoff contention.

Carlsson put the Ducks ahead less than three minutes after the opening faceoff, driving the net and finishing for his 28th goal.

Carlson scored only his second goal in a Ducks uniform later in the first, blasting it home around Sennecke’s screen. San Jose didn’t get its first shot on goal until 13 minutes into the period.

Killorn tapped in a pass from Sennecke off a wo-on-one rush for his 14th goal in the second.

Neither team was called for a penalty until San Jose’s Collin Graf was binned for hooking with 10:20 to play, and Carlson fired home his second goal on the ensuing power play.

Vatrano scored only his second goal since Dec. 7 in the waning minutes.

Up next

Sharks: Host Vancouver on Saturday.

Ducks: Host Vancouver on Sunday.

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