Ducks rally from down 3, defeat Utah Hockey Club in shootout

SALT LAKE CITY -- Robby Fabbri scored twice, and the Anaheim Ducks rallied from down three goals to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 5-4 in a shootout at Delta Center on Sunday.

“I think we just didn't stray away from our game,” said Fabbri. “When you're down like that on the road, it's easy just to pack it in. We don't have that in our room here and we showed that tonight.”

Mason McTavish scored the only goal in the shootout, and Lukas Dostal made 21 saves for the Ducks (13-15-4), who have won three of their past four games.

“It was a good, gutsy win for sure,” said McTavish. “Obviously being down three goals in a game is never ideal, but it was a good character win for sure. We just stuck together and stuck to the game plan.”

Clayton Keller had two goals and two assists for Utah (16-11-6), which is 6-0-2 in its past eight games. Jaxson Stauber made 26 saves.

“I don't think we were good from the beginning,” said Utah coach Andre Tourigny. “I don't think we changed when we took the lead. I don't think it was really good. I think we played well for a long time, so I'm not throwing the guys under the bus. I'm throwing all of us under the bus, the coaches included. … It's unfortunate to have that kind of a lead. You lose the lead, and you lose a game at home in front of your fans, it's frustrating.”

Keller’s second goal gave Utah a 4-1 lead at 5:57 of the second period, scoring on a wrist shot from the top of the slot through traffic and past the glove side of Dostal.

“It was kind of a back-and-forth game, we just weren't good on our details and just kind of played a little too loose, and that’s what happens,” said Keller. “They get some life, they get some bounces, and we unfortunately lose the game. But the good thing about this is we play tomorrow, so we don't have to think about it too much.”

Isac Lundestrom pulled Anaheim within 4-2 at 10:49, scoring from the right circle off a pass from Olen Zellweger. The shot went off the bottom of his stick blade but snuck past Stauber.

Fabbri scored his second goal of the game at 12:35 of the third period to make it 4-3, diving for a loose rebound and knocking the puck across the goal line.

“Robby just competes, I mean all three zones,” said Cronin. “I don't care if it's blocking a shot, face-off edges, or driving the front of the net. He does a lot of blue-collar things that I think are really connected to his linemates, and if you mirror that behavior on the ice and play with that attitude, you're probably going to come out on top, and I think that's what he does every game, he doesn't compromise that.”

Brett Leason tied the game at 4-4 on the power play at 15:15, scoring off a pass from Cutter Gauthier and beating Stauber glove side.

Keller gave Utah a 1-0 lead at 1:26 of the first period, scoring off a rebound from Juuso Valimaki.

Fabbri answered at 4:56, keeping the puck on a 2-on-1 and beating Stauber on the blocker side to tie the game at 1-1.

Barrett Hayton made it 2-1 Utah at 16:09, going five-hole off a pass from Olli Maatta.

Logan Cooley scored a power-play goal at 2:39 of the second period on a one-timer off a pass from Keller to extend the Utah lead to 3-1.

“I think the guys are believing,” said Ducks coach Greg Cronin. “When you win, it just kind of reinforces the process. … I knew before the game this was going to be a real challenge. I don't think they’ve lost in regulation for like 10 or 11 games, whatever it was. So we're just very blessed that we came on top tonight.”

NOTES: Ducks forward Leo Carlsson left the game at 4:35 of the third period with an undisclosed injury. There was no update after the game. … Keller had the first four-point game for Utah. He has six goals in his past six games.