ANAHEIM, Calif. — In an exciting encounter on Friday night, Cutter Gauthier netted his first goal in the NHL, playing a crucial role in the Anaheim Ducks’ comeback victory over the Detroit Red Wings, winning 6-4. With just 8:51 remaining in the game, Gauthier’s goal turned the tide for the Ducks, who had previously been trailing by two goals.
Following Gauthier’s impressive strike, Anaheim quickly extended their lead as Ross Johnston scored just 38 seconds later. The Ducks secured their victory further with an empty-net goal from Ryan Strome. This came after Alex deBrincat of Detroit scored during a power play with 3:44 left in the game, providing a brief glimpse of hope for the Red Wings.
Olen Zellweger had a standout performance, contributing one goal and two assists. Additionally, Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry each added power-play goals, showcasing the Ducks’ improved offensive effort. Anaheim’s goaltender John Gibson made 21 saves, which aided in their ability to secure the win. This victory marked the Ducks’ second triumph during their six-game homestand.
On the other side, Detroit saw Austrian rookie Marco Kasper score his first-ever NHL goal, marking an exciting milestone for him after struggling to find his scoring touch. Kasper’s achievement came after spending last season in the AHL, indicating a positive development in his young career. Despite this, the Red Wings have now fallen short in three of their last four games, with Jonatan Berggren scoring on a two-man advantage and Lucas Raymond also finding the net. Goaltender Alex Lyon made 23 saves in the loss.
Unfortunately for the Ducks, they were without forward Robby Fabbri, who underwent knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks. Defenseman Cam Fowler will also be out for two to four weeks due to an upper-body injury.
In notable takeaways from the match, the Red Wings saw 20-year-old Marco Kasper achieve a multi-point game, a significant development after his NHL debut 19 months ago and following a 10-game scoreless stretch. For Anaheim, Zellweger displayed prowess in his second multi-point game, while Zegras’ goal marked his second in 16 games.
The pivotal moment of the game came when Gauthier finally found the back of the net in his 17th appearance for the Ducks, a player they acquired from Philadelphia as the fifth overall pick in 2022. An interesting statistic from the game was that Anaheim’s two power-play goals equaled their combined total from the last six games, a key improvement considering they began the night ranked last in power-play percentage.
Looking ahead, the Ducks are set to face off against Dallas on Monday night, while the Red Wings will travel to Los Angeles for their next match on Saturday.