- Cutter Gauthier has nine goals in four games, a Ducks record
- Seven of them came on the power play, a mark only two players have hit since 1933-34
- Read below for his quotes and the Ducks’ power-play surge
Cutter Gauthier now owns the hottest four-game stretch in Ducks history.
The 22-year-old scored a goal and added an assist in Thursday’s 5-4 win over the Oilers at Rogers Place, giving him nine goals in his last four games. No Anaheim player has ever scored that many in that span.
Gauthier opened the scoring with the Ducks on the power play. Watch the goal:
Seven of the nine goals have come with the man advantage. Since the NHL began tracking special teams stats in 1933-34, only Teemu Selanne (2008-09) and Dave Andreychuk (1992-93) have scored seven power-play goals over a four-game stretch. Gauthier had also scored two power-play goals in each of his previous three games, an NHL first.
He has a power-play goal in four straight games, tying Selanne for the second-longest streak in franchise history. Frederik Olausson holds the record at five in a row, set in 1998-99.
It is a big turnaround from the start of his season. Gauthier had two goals through his first 11 games, then ended a nine-game drought with two power-play goals in a 7-6 loss to the Sabres on Oct. 29. After that came back-to-back hat tricks against the Senators and the Canucks, which we covered here and here.
He now has 11 goals and 17 points in 15 games, and his point streak sits at six games.
Gauthier talked about the power play before Thursday’s game.
“Our power play is doing really well right now. Our power-play coach (Jay Woodcroft) is doing a great job of pointing things out that (opponent’s) PK is struggling on and pointing them out before games. When the special teams are playing well, that wins you games.”
The Ducks went 2-for-8 with the man advantage against Edmonton and are 12-for-20 over the four games, a 60 percent clip.
Gauthier also explained how he got out of his early slump.
“I think I was getting too cute at the start of the season, trying to find the right shot and the right play, and when I simplify my game and shoot the puck, good things happen.”
Joel Quenneville was asked about the hot streak and pointed to the power play.
“He can be streaky scoring wise. I think a lot of his production is on the power play and then he got a couple of 5-on-5 goals. But he knows how to shoot it and get rid of it quickly and sometimes they go in.”
Beckett Sennecke also had a big night with three points, including this second goal that made it 5-2 Anaheim:
The Oilers rallied late but could not finish the comeback, and the Ducks picked up their third straight win, their longest streak of the season. Anaheim visits Calgary on Friday night, and Gauthier will try to keep both streaks going.
