Ducks score 4 in 3rd, end Golden Knights' point streak at 12

ANAHEIM -- The Anaheim Ducks scored four unanswered goals in the third period to hand the Vegas Golden Knights their first regulation loss this season, 4-2 at Honda Center on Sunday.

Sam Carrick scored two goals, and Frank Vatrano and Cam Fowler each had two assists for the Ducks (7-4-0), who extended their winning streak to six games, during which they have come back from a third-period deficit five times. John Gibson made 30 saves.

"It just goes to show the character of the group here," Carrick said. "Never quitting, never giving up and just believing in each other. It doesn't matter if it's a one-, two- or three-goal lead, we've got a chance to come back."

Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist, and Logan Thompson made 19 saves for the Golden Knights (11-1-1), who were trying to become the first team to open a season with a point streak of at least 13 games since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012-13 (24 games).

Vegas was coming off a 7-0 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. Anaheim had not played since a 4-3 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.

"It might have been one of our best defensive games of the year, if not the best when we get our numbers back, but three goals had eyes in the third period," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We want saves there, but they found a way."

Adam Henrique scored a power-play goal for Anaheim to cut it to 2-1 at 1:38 of the third period. Fowler had his initial shot blocked by Brett Howden, but the puck deflected back to him and he knocked it toward the slot, where Henrique spun and scored.

His goal came shortly after Gibson stopped Eichel on a breakaway with his left pad.

"Had a chance to extend it with Jack on the breakaway short-handed," Cassidy said. "It didn't work out, but it doesn't matter. We played well enough, defended well enough to win the hockey game. They found a way to get some goals behind us."

Carrick tied it 2-2 at 10:55. Following a turnover by Eichel, Pavel Mintyukov passed the puck to Carrick, who faked a shot before scoring five-hole from all alone in front.

Mason McTavish then gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead at 16:20, scoring five-hole from in close off a pass from Vatrano from below the goal line. He has 10 points (five goals, five assists) during an NHL career-high seven-game point streak.

Carrick scored into an empty net with 1:09 left for the 4-2 final.

Ivan Barbashev gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 8:51 of the first period, tapping in a backdoor pass from Eichel on a 3-on-1.

Eichel scored during a 4-on-4 to make it 2-0 at 13:43 of the second period. He skated the puck through the neutral zone and into the right circle before roofing a shot short side over the left shoulder of Gibson.

"Going down 2-0 to the Stanley Cup Champions, the best team in the League, in my opinion, the Vegas Golden Knights, to show resiliency and come back, we've done it a bunch of times against a bunch of different teams," said forward Alex Killorn, who made his Ducks debut after missing the first 10 games with a fractured finger. "It's pretty impressive to see that kind of resiliency in this group, especially such a young group."

NOTES: The Ducks are the second team in NHL history to win six straight games that included at least five third-period comebacks, joining the 2018-19 Buffalo Sabres. ... It was Carrick's second two-goal game in the NHL. His other came on March 23, 2022. ... Mintyukov is tied for the NHL lead among rookies with eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 11 games. ... Killorn had one shot on goal in 17:11 of ice time. ... Golden Knights forward William Karlsson had his point streak end at nine games (six goals, seven assists).