Recap: Gauthier Scores First Career Goal as Ducks Rally for Comeback Win over Detroit

The Ducks erased a two-goal deficit with a resurgent third period tonight on home ice, rallying for a 6-4 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center.

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With the resilient victory, Anaheim improved to 6-8-2 on the season and 4-5-0 on home ice.

Olen Zellweger led Anaheim offensively with a goal and two assists, marking his second three-point performance in the NHL. Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry scored power-play goals, helping the home side eliminate a 3-1 Detroit advantage.

Cutter Gauthier gave Anaheim the lead midway through the third with his first career NHL goal, finishing a low shot off the rush while fighting through a Detroit stick check.

Ross Johnston added a critical insurance marker in the third as well, netting his first goal of the season and what proved to be the night's game-winner. Leo Carlsson and Drew Helleson each collected two assists. Goaltender John Gibson made 21 saves for his second win in as many starts this season.

Marco Kasper, Jonatan Berggren, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings, who dropped to 7-8-1 on the season. Veteran netminder Alex Lyon made 23 saves.

Anaheim raced out to a sudden lead before the game was even two minutes old, as Zellweger fired a shot from the point through Killorn's screen and over Lyon's blocker.

Still in the early stages of his first full NHL campaign, Zellweger has collected seven points in 15 outinge so far this season. The 21-year-old paces Ducks blueliners in points, goals and assists this season.

The helper gave Carlsson 37 career points, passing former Duck Jamie Drysdale for the second-most by a teenager in franchise history. Carlsson, who now trails only teammate Cam Fowler (53 points in 102 games), turns 20 on Dec. 26.

Carlsson is also now one of just eight Swedish-born players to collect 20 career assists before his 20th birthday, joining a list that includes Raymond, Hall of Famer Mats Sundin and current NHL captains Gabriel Landeskog, Rasmus Dahlin and Victor Hedman.

The early edge would last only six minutes though, as a pair of Detroit power-play goals would give the visitors a 2-1 lead after one.

The first came on Kasper's second quality scoring chance of the opening frame, this one beating Gibson blocker-side from the slot.

The goal was Kasper's first in the NHL, and his second point in 12 games this season. The former eighth-overall pick is one of 17 Austrian players in NHL history and one of two currently active (also Minnesota's Marco Rossi).

Berggren then gave the Wings a 2-1 lead in the final minute of the first, converting a backdoor pass from linemate Vladimir Tarasenko with Detroit on a 5-on-3 power play for nearly the full two minutes.

Raymond made it 3-1 moments into the second period, capitalizing on an Anaheim turnover before solving Gibson off the rush under the glove.

The Ducks would keep skating down two though, and by the four minute mark of the third period would find themselves back even thanks to a pair of power-play goals of their own.

Zegras first cut the deficit to 3-2 late in the middle frame, lifting a sharp-angle shot from in tight after a short centering pass by Zellweger.

Terry tied it early in the third, firing a wrister from the left circle just under the crossbar - leveling the score and bringing the Honda Center crowd to its feet in the process.

The goal gave Terry a team-best 12 points in 16 games this season, and points in four of his last six outings. Terry leads or co-leads the Ducks in nearly every offensive category, including points, goals, assists, and power-play goals.

The snake-bitten Gauthier then finally broke through for a well-earned first NHL goal, flying down left wing and zipping a snap shot through Lyon along the ice.

With his first career NHL goal, Gauthier now owns six points in 16 games this season and two in his last three appearances.

Johnston would then score on the next shift, redirecting a shot-pass from Harkins on left wing up over Lyon's left leg pad.

Known for his checking and physical prowess, Johnston has three points in his last six games and is now one point shy of matching his 2023-24 total in 58 fewer outings.

Skating in his fourth career NHL game, Helleson assisted on both Gauthier and Johnston's goals for his second and third career points. Recalled from San Diego on Wednesday, Harkins' assist was his first point as a Duck.

DeBrincat cut the Anaheim lead to 5-4 with another power-play marker late in the third, a tough bounce for the Ducks on a deflected shot to the backdoor, but Strome would hit the empty net shortly after to seal the Ducks victory.

The Ducks begin a two-game road trip Monday in Dallas.