The Anaheim Ducks finally snapped their losing streak in a thriller against the Philadelphia Flyers. And one player stood out.
Tristan Luneau had a game to remember. In Anaheim's matinee win against the Flyers on Saturday, Luneau finished with a goal, three points, and a plus-3. It was easily the best performance of his career, and he has taken the first step in justifying the six-year, $43.2 million extension he signed on Oct. 1.
For nearly a period and a half, the Ducks looked as though they were, once again, on their way to putting up another uninspiring performance. The Flyers outshot them 11-6 in the first frame, and Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone scored.
Then Leo Carlsson scored at 8:38 in the second and brought the Ducks to within one goal. At 13:07, Luneau stepped up and provided the secondary assist on A.J. Greer's goal to tie the game.
Tyson Foerster put the Flyers back up by two on a short-handed goal at 15:04 before Luneau snagged another secondary assist, this one on Judd Caulfield's goal at the 16:19 mark.
Luneau made his mark in the third period when he scored a highlight-reel goal at the two-minute mark. He took a pass from Travis Mitchell and called his own number. Luneau skated up ice and initially looked as though he wouldn't get the shot off. Then he fired a perfectly placed snap shot past Flyers' goaltender Joseph Woll.
Woll had perfect positioning, and Luneau, somehow, snuck it right under the netminder's arm. Had the puck gone anywhere else, it either would have ricocheted off the post or Woll would have blocked it. The goal, even in October, is a prime candidate for the end-of-season highlight reel.
While Beckett Sennecke made the game 5-3 later in the third and Matvei Michkov brought the Flyers to within one goal, Luneau's goal ultimately decided the game. Now the question is: Will Luneau continue to live up to his new deal that will kick in next season?
Luneau played in just 14 career NHL games and recorded four points before the Ducks signed him to an extension. While a $7.2 million AAV is team-friendly with the salary cap rising, it was nevertheless a gamble .
That said, Luneau was impressive when he spent most of his professional hockey career with the AHL's San Diego Gulls. In 2024-25, he appeared in 59 games with the Gulls, posting 52 points and nine goals. He then put up 41 points and 10 goals in 70 contests last season.
Luneau's overall numbers in the AHL show off his potential in the offensive zone and the kind of damage he can inflict on opponents.
Following his big game against the Flyers, Luneau now has five points and a goal in 11 contests this season. If his performance on Saturday kickstarts his productivity at the NHL level, the Anaheim Ducks will look brilliant for extending him in Oct. 2026.
He will be one to watch as the season progresses and Anaheim looks to string together a few solid games to get back on form.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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