RALEIGH, N.C. – It was the best first period in some time for the Anaheim Ducks, but unfortunately, they play three periods in the NHL.

The Ducks scored first for the third straight game, but the Carolina Hurricanes were dominant over the final two periods to hand the Ducks their eighth consecutive loss, 5-2, on Thursday at Lenovo Center.

Anaheim is 0-7-1 in its last eight games and 2-10-2 in its last 14 games.

Ryan Poehling and Mikael Granlund scored for the Ducks. Ville Husso made 30 saves.

Five different Hurricanes found the back of the net, and former Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 11 of 13 shots against.

After their loss in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Anaheim (21-20-3, 45 points) fell out of a Western Conference playoff spot for the first time since Oct. 11–their second game of the season. The Los Angeles Kings (18-14-10, 46 points) hold on to the final wild card spot.

The Ducks conclude their four-game East Coast road trip on Saturday in Buffalo, which has won 9 of its last 10 games..

Ducks score first for the third consecutive game. Excellent passing sequence leads to a slam dunk for Ryan Poehling.

1-0 in Raleigh. Ducks very engaged to open this one. #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/73LVxUXAaY
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) January 9, 2026

Cracking It Open

The Ducks have been notorious slow starters all season with the third-most games being scored on first in the league. Even in games where the run of play favored them, the opposition found the net first in 27 of 44 games.

In searching to snap this losing skid, the Ducks have amazingly put in the first puck in each of the first three games of this road trip. It’s just the second time this season Anaheim has notched the first goal in three straight games, with the first kicking off the seven-game win streak into November and this one making up the latter stages of an eight-game losing streak.

The Ducks had an extremely engaged opening period with intent on seemingly every shift.

Strong defensive play sparked a beautiful transition opportunity on the first goal.

Jackson LaCombe and Chris Kreider sealed off the wall to force a pass to the point that Cutter Gauthier knocked out to center ice. Into the offensive zone, Gauthier dropped to Kreider, who sent it over to a streaking Ryan Poehling.

Poehing worked a give-and-go at the net with LaCombe, and Poehling slammed home the opening strike 13 minutes into the game.

While Carolina’s style of play will almost always give them an advantage in shots on goal and shot attempts, the Ducks earned nearly 74% of the expected goals and nearly 82% of the high-danger chances in the first period.

It was as strong a start as Anaheim has had in this losing streak, but then the rest of the game happened.

Carolina ties it right back up. Turnover in the neutral zone, and with the Ducks looking to make a change, the Canes catch them with an odd-man rush.

2-2. #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/2bETtSCuKM
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) January 9, 2026

Stormy Second Period

All the good feeling the Ducks had garnered with their first period, Carolina wiped that away with a flat out dominant middle frame.

The Hurricanes’ relentless style of play–19-3 shots on goal in the second period, 33-12 shot attempts, 75.6% of expected goals–took advantage of recurring Ducks defensive miscues to grab the lead by the period’s end.

Carolina’s first goal was a simple bit of puck luck, as Mark Jankowski took the puck to the crease and a loose puck deflected off a skate around Husso. Not a miscue, but evidence of things just not going Anaheim’s way these days. Over the previous 13 games, the Ducks have the second-worst shooting percentage and worst save percentage in the NHL.

The Ducks grabbed the lead on a second-attempt strike for Mikael Granlund, but that lead lasted all of two minutes.

Tim Washe couldn’t get the puck deep at the offensive blue line, and as the Ducks defense pushed forward for an attempted line change, Carolina caught the Ducks flat footed. Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven got in behind the Anaheim defense for a two-on-none rush finished by Stankoven.

Two minutes after that, the Hurricanes went ahead. Anaheim couldn’t clear the zone, and on the long Carolina possession, Justin Chatfield twisted up the Ducks’ zone coverage for a wide-open slap shot on the left wing that got through Husso for a 3-2 lead.

Carolina’s dominant possession wave rolled into the third period, where the Hurricanes won the shot clock and the game. Carolina’s momentum gifted them another fortunate pass deflection onto a Hurricanes stick to put it past a now out-of-position Husso.

Another empty net goal made it four games in a row the Ducks have given up five or more goals and the sixth time in the last seven games they’ve done so.

Carolina takes its first lead of the game. Ducks can't escape the zone, and Chatfield's blast gets through Husso.

3-2 Canes. #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/VYaOh5Gmvl
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) January 9, 2026

Other Notes

--Ville Husso made his first start since his emergency recall from AHL San Diego on Tuesday. Ducks back-up goaltender Petr Mrázek was put on injured reserve after being injured on Monday in Washington.

-- Nikita Nesterenko was put on waivers on Tuesday, but the 24-year-old forward cleared waivers on Wednesday. Normally, this is done to send a player down to the AHL, with eligible players being able to be snagged by other NHL teams if they choose. Nesterenko went unclaimed, but he has stayed with Anaheim. He was a healthy scratch on Tuesday.

-- Tim Washe was called up from San Diego on Wednesday and made his season debut on Thursday. The 24-year-old utility forward played 10:24 with 1:24 of that on the penalty kill. Washe made his NHL debut in the final two games of last season after finishing his college career by winning a national championship with Western Michigan. Washe leads the AHL Gulls in goals and points this season.

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