Gauthier gets 1st goal, Ducks score 4 in 3rd to rally past Red Wings

ANAHEIM -- Cutter Gauthier scored his first NHL goal for the Anaheim Ducks, who scored four times in the third period to rally for a 6-4 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center on Friday.

Gauthier gave Anaheim a 4-3 lead at 11:09 of the third on a wrist shot off the rush.

"It was a dream come true," said Gauthier, who was playing in his 17th career game. "Against the hometown team, Detroit, it was a surreal moment. I'm just so pumped."

Gauthier started the season on the top line but had dropped to the fourth line after he struggled in the early going.

"It's the best league in the world and you don't have a lot of time and space," Gauthier said. "I think the biggest thing I've noticed is when to manage the puck, when to make the right play when I have some time, and when I've just got to keep it simple and get it deep and get on the forecheck."

Olen Zellweger had a goal and two assists, and Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry each scored on the power play for the Ducks (6-8-2), who had lost five of six. John Gibson made 21 saves.

Marco Kasper scored his first NHL goal and had an assist, and Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each also had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (7-8-1), who have lost three of four (1-3-0). Alex Lyon made 23 saves.

"We got away from what got us to the 3-1 lead, and then we took penalties," Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. "It led to three straight penalties, and then it felt like (the Ducks) started to play downhill. So, unfortunately, I think it turned once we had the 3-1 lead."

Zellweger gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 1:12 of the first period with a one-timer from the right point.

Kasper tied it 1-1 at 7:59 with a power-play goal after J.T. Compher found him with a backhand feed cutting down the middle of Anaheim's zone.

"It's awesome, it's a relief too," said Kasper, who was playing in his 13th career game. "It's great to get the first one."

The Ducks committed back-to-back minor penalties three seconds apart late in the first period. Jonatan Berggren then put the Red Wings ahead 2-1 at 19:16, scoring on the 5-on-3 advantage with a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle.

Raymond extended it to 3-1 at 1:05 of the second period. He forced a turnover by Anaheim defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and got the puck back from DeBrincat on the breakaway.

Zegras cut it to 3-2 at 17:44 after Zellweger drew a tripping penalty behind Anaheim's net. Zellweger carried the puck into Detroit's zone, worked a give-and-go with Alex Killorn and then fed Zegras for a one-timer from in close on the man-advantage.

"I [saw] the forechecker kind of letting me go up the ice there, so I had a little bit of energy to make that give-and-go," Zellweger said. "It unfolded pretty well, Trevor was in a great spot there."

Terry tied it 3-3 with a power-play goal at 3:54 of the third.

Ross Johnston scored on a redirection 38 seconds after Gauthier's goal to extend it to 5-3 at 11:47.

DeBrincat cut it to 5-4 at 16:16, converting a rebound on the power play, but Ryan Strome then scored into an empty net with 24 seconds left for the 6-4 final.

The Ducks, who entered Friday as the lowest-scoring team in the NHL at 2.20 goals per game, finished with a season-high goal total.

"We have a highly skilled young team who can make plays like that night in and night out," Gauthier said. "I think it's just the confidence to do it consistently, and just have faith in your skill."

NOTES: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson did not play in the third period because of an undisclosed injury. Lalonde did not have an update. ... Raymond has 12 points (two goals, 11 assists) in the past 10 games. ... Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson had two assists in his season debut.