Ducks Beat Jets 5-1 as Caulfield Scores First NHL Goal

Anaheim secured a 5-1 road victory over Winnipeg on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Canada Life Centre, handing the Jets their first regulation defeat of the NHL season. Ian Moore Caulfield celebrated his first NHL goal, while the Ducks capitalized on scoring opportunities to improve their record to 3-1-0.

Tim Washe, Mikael Granlund, Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko also scored for Anaheim. Winnipeg, which entered the game with a 3-0-1 record, finished with one goal from Kyle Connor, according to The Canadian Press reports published by NanaimoNewsNOW and CBC News.

Caulfield's milestone came with family members, including his parents, grandmother, siblings and his wife's family, watching from the stands. He also assisted on Washe's goal, helping Anaheim's fourth line produce the game's opening two scores.

"It was super special with the family here. It was as close as we’re gonna get (to Grand Forks) and it was a nice little lineup on the schedule to have a Friday night game. It was super special to have them in the stands.

I don’t think my grandma’s been to a game in awhile and it was nice to have my parents. My wife’s family was here as well, and my siblings. It was great to have that support.

They have supported me for so many years." Caulfield said.

Anaheim opened the scoring when Caulfield collected a rebound from a Malott shot. Washe, who had sent Jeff Malott on a breakaway, earned an assist, while Caulfield later helped set up Washe's second-period goal for a 2-0 lead.

"It was a nice weight off the shoulders to get that first one early," Caulfield said. "I’m just pumped to play with these guys. They’re both super fun to play with.

Mally, Washe are predictable and they make it easy on me. They’re talking to me all the time and we’re having success, so we need to keep playing that well to keep having success.

"It was a fun game tonight and we were all playing well, and we’ve got to carry this into tomorrow now."

Colangelo extended Anaheim's advantage early in the third period, converting a pass from Beckett Sennecke while positioned in front of the net. Winnipeg responded at 10:36 when Connor scored, but Granlund restored the three-goal margin at 14:06. Nesterenko added an empty-net goal to complete the 5-1 result.

Ducks coach Joel Quenneville praised the performance of the team's fourth line, which generated the first two goals and nearly scored another during a rush opportunity.

"They had a special night," Quenneville said. "They scored a couple off the rush, almost had a third one off the rush, had a couple shifts in the third with good possession and cycle time. We couldn’t ask for anything more. That was a special night for those guys."

Anaheim outshot Winnipeg 17-16, while goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 15 of 16 shots. The Ducks also limited the Jets' power play, holding them scoreless on all four opportunities.

Quenneville credited the defensive structure for limiting Winnipeg's dangerous chances, particularly during transitions and around the slot.

"I thought we played well defending the rush," Quenneville said. "And then, our slot coverage was all right. They missed some pucks that might have had some quality to it.

I thought our goalie (Lukas Dostal) was solid. I think the game was fast, but there wasn’t really any odd-man situations, which I think prevented the quality.

"They’re a team that has a lot of firepower, but maybe shot production wasn’t there."

Dostal said he had anticipated greater offensive pressure after reviewing Winnipeg's previous games and preseason performances. Anaheim's defensive coverage helped keep the Jets from generating the volume of chances he expected.

"I expected a little bit more (from Winnipeg) because of what we worked on the tape," Dostal said. "In their games and in the pre-season, they try to throw everything to the net. So that’s what kind of won them (those) games.

"So, it was kind of our game plan to be on the top of them and having good sticks. I think the guys did a tremendous job defensively, and I’m just overall amazed."

Connor's third-period goal marked his sixth of the season and his 329th career NHL goal. The milestone also moved him past Ilya Kovalchuk into sole possession of third place on Winnipeg's franchise scoring list.

The game was Connor's 700th NHL appearance, a milestone the forward acknowledged while expressing his desire to continue playing.

"It’s pretty cool," Connor said of reaching 700 games. "Don’t take for granted any minute in this league and hopefully, lots more."

Jets coach Scott Arniel praised Connor's contribution and standing within the organization.

"He often goes under the radar around the league," Arniel said. "We know what we have. We have a special player. It’s great for him."

Winnipeg also played without defenseman Josh Morrissey, who was sidelined by an upper-body injury. Haydn Fleury replaced him in the lineup, while goaltender Clay Stevenson made 12 saves for the Jets.

Anaheim will visit the Calgary Flames on Saturday, October 10. Winnipeg is scheduled to host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.