The Ducks’ Drew Helleson, top, checks the Boston Bruins’ Marat Khusnutdinov during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, right, and Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm vie for the puck during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Fraser Minten, right, moves the puck ahead of Ducks defenseman Tyson Hinds during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie and Ducks defenseman Noah Warren vie for the puck during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, right, makes the save on a shot by the Boston Bruins’ Morgan Geekie (39) during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie reacts as he falls to the ice after shooting the puck during the first period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe, right, and the Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak chase after the puck during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau, right, moves the puck as Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot defends during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Boston Bruins’ Morgan Geekie, right, and the Ducks’ Noah Warren skate around the net for the puck behind Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, left, during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins center Fraser Minten, center, shoots the puck as Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, left, and defenseman Tristan Luneau try to slow him down during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, right, makes a save in front of the Boston Bruins’ Fraser Minten during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, right, and Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak vie for the puck during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Leo Carlsson, right, falls to the ice after a check from the Boston Bruins’ Marat Khusnutdinov during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks center Tim Washe skates to the bench after scoring a goal during the first period of a game against the Boston Bruins on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Tim Washe (42) celebrates his goal as he skates past the Boston Bruins’ bench during the first period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks center Nikita Nesterenko, left, is unable to score against Boston Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, right, moves the puck ahead of Ducks center Nikita Nesterenko during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, right, makes a save in front of the Boston Bruins’ Fraser Minten during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, right, moves the puck as Ducks center Nikita Nesterenko (13) looks on during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) skates against Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, right, during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks center Leo Carlsson, right, shoots the puck as Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy tries to knock it away during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Nikita Klepov, left, stick handles in front of the Boston Bruins’ Pavel Zacha during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, left, moves the puck up the ice as Ducks right wing Nikita Klepov chases after him during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Frank Vatrano reacts after drawing a penalty from the Boston Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm, right, moves the puck as Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier gives chase during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Boston Bruins’ Frederic Brunet celebrates at the bench after scoring his first NHL goal during the second period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier, left, moves the puck in front of Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Nikita Klepov controls the puck during the second period of a game against the Boston Bruins on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, left, shoots the puck in front of Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, right, moves the puck as Ducks center Nikita Nesterenko defends during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, shoots the puck as Boston Bruins defenseman Frederic Brunet tries to slow him during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, skates against Boston Bruins defenseman Frederic Brunet during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Boston Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, right, clears the puck in front of the Ducks’ Leo Carlsson during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, skates against Boston Bruins defenseman Frederic Brunet, center, and defenseman Mason Lohrei during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, and Boston Bruins defenseman Will Borgen vie for the puck during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro, right, makes a save against the Ducks’ Frank Vatrano, left, during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, left, and Ducks left wing Alex Killorn argue with the referee during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm, right, and Ducks center Leo Carlsson vie for the puck during the second period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke, right, loses the puck to the Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Tyson Hinds, right, skates after the puck in front of the Boston Bruins’ James Hagens during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins right wing JJ Peterka, left, moves the puck in front of Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier, right, is forechecked by the Boston Bruins’ Fraser Minten during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie, left, and Ducks left wing Jeff Malott vie for the puck during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, third from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the third period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Drew Helleson looks back for the puck as Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal protects the near post of his net during the third period of a game against the Boston Bruins on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm, second from right, celebrates with, from left, center Morgan Geekie, center Pavel Zacha, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy after scoring a goal during the third period of their game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, right, and Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie vie for the puck during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Boston Bruins’ James Hagens, right, passes the puck as the Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov defends during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins’ Matthew Poitras (51) scores behind Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal to give his team a 4-2 lead during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras, left, celebrates with center James Hagens after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras, third from right, celebrates with, from left, center Casey Mittelstadt, defenseman Hampus Lindholm, and center James Hagens after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Ducks on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe, right, keeps the puck from the Boston Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy during the third period on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Honda Center. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — Each of the Ducks’ past three home games have seen them retrocede leads en route to a loss, with the Boston Bruins reversing their fortunes in a 4-2 win on Friday night at Honda Center.
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The Ducks went up 2-0 after a flashy first period on Friday, just as they did against the Edmonton Oilers last Wednesday in a 5-2 defeat. They blew a 2-1 lead against Calgary on Tuesday in the Flames’ first victory of the season.
“We really have to watch some film and learn how to play with the lead. Obviously, that’s a couple games now with Edmonton and Calgary, so it’s about learning from it,” forward Nikita Nesterenko said.
The Ducks scored two first-period goals in rapid succession from Tim Washe and Beckett Sennecke. Lukáš Dostál made 18 saves. The Ducks were 0 for 5 on the power play and 1 for 4 on the penalty kill.
“We couldn’t score on the power play, that definitely hurt us, and the (power-play goals allowed) hurt us as well,” defenseman Jackson LaCombe said.
Elias Lindholm scored a power-play goal and set up another by David Pastrnak, who provided a screen for Frederic Brunet’s extra-man tally. Pavel Zacha added two assists. Rookie James Hagens also had two assists, including on Matthew Poitras’ goal to ice the Bruins’ cake. Michael DiPietro stopped 25 shots in his first career NHL win.
With 3:40 left, the visitors sealed the hosts’ fate when Poitras slammed on the brakes and went to his backhand to finish an odd-man rush with Hagens.
The Bruins took their first lead of the night with their third power-play goal, with 11:42 to play. Zacha and Morgan Geekie’s tic-tac-toe passing sequence left Lindholm with a point-blank chance so open he could have blown the puck gently into the net.
“(We let a lot go) in front, and we couldn’t get our clears when we needed them,” LaCombe said. “We have to be a lot harder and a lot faster getting those pucks out.”
After failing to cash in on a four-minute man advantage, the Ducks surrendered an equalizer 3:26 into the final frame in another rough moment while shorthanded.
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Not one but two cross-crease exchanges between Lindholm and Pastrnak opened up a huge hole for Pastrnak’s backhand to get through both LaCombe and Dostál. Pastrnak, who passed Brad Marchand for fourth on the Bruins’ franchise leaderboard with 423 goals, nearly scored again as the Bruins stormed the Ducks’ cage soon after. He’s four goals from Patrice Bergeron for third place.
Missed opportunities to put the game away bookended the second period for the Ducks.
They closed it on a four-minute power play after Nikita Zadorov elbowed Frank Vatrano and then took another high shot on him after the whistle. Some fluid puck movement got Leo Carlsson a prime opportunity in the slot, but former Duck Hampus Lindholm disrupted his shot so that it hit the glass rather than the net.
Less than two minutes into the frame, Nesterenko had a shorthanded breakaway but couldn’t quite get the puck on goal. That proved costly when later in the same power play, Brunet knocked the puck down at the blue line and flicked a shot through a Pastrnak screen. It was Brunet’s first NHL goal in his fifth career game at 3:15.
“I’m still mad at myself for that. In those situations you’ve got to bear down, especially in a 2-nothing game with a shorthanded goal (opportunity). That was definitely a turning point,” said Nesterenko, who turned in a strong opening 20 minutes.
In that first period, the Ducks dominated in terms of both quantity and quality of opportunities. Their crescendo came to a peak with two goals in 21 seconds during the final minute.
After Washe’s long, low-flying shot through traffic beat DiPietro through his five hole, a less than visually stunning goal for his second of the season, the Ducks scored one of the nicest markers of the young NHL campaign.
Sennecke hit the blue line with speed, finding Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier’s touch pass to Nesterenko begat another touch pass to Sennecke for a confident finish and his fifth goal this season.
“We played one of our best periods of the year in the first, and then we just kind of let it slip away,” Nesterenko said.
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