Gauthier's hat trick lifts Ducks past Panthers to Pacific lead

Cutter Gauthier scored his first career hat trick and finished with four points as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 7-3 on Tuesday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The victory was Anaheim’s fourth straight and pushed the club into first place in the Pacific Division.

Gauthier, 21, opened the scoring early on a breakaway set up by teammate Leo Carlsson, then added a power-play goal late in the first period and completed the hat trick with a second-period power-play blast. He also assisted on a third-period goal, giving him a four-point night and moving him into a tie for the NHL lead with 10 goals. Carlsson recorded two assists and extended his scoring streak to seven games alongside Gauthier, the youngest pair of teammates to post simultaneous seven-game streaks since two players accomplished the feat nine years ago.

Florida answered in the first when Brad Marchand finished a breakaway, and Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen each scored to keep the game close through the second period. Luostarinen’s goal came on the power play and gave the Panthers a brief 3-2 lead. Nikita Nesterenko then scored late in the second to put Anaheim...