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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Cutter Gauthier scored his 14th goal in seven games on Wednesday, November 11, in the Anaheim Ducks’ 4–2 loss to the Nashville Predators, becoming the first NHL player since Mario Lemieux and Alexander Mogilny in 1992–93 to reach that total over a seven-game span. The milestone was confirmed in NHL.com’s game report by Dan Arritt. Gauthier opened the scoring at 8:08 of the first period, but Nashville tied it 21 seconds later.
Gauthier now has 16 goals in 18 games this season, with a goal in seven straight games and 18 points (14 goals, four assists) during a nine-game point streak. Only six players since 1944–45 have scored 14 times in seven games, a list that also includes Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Rick Tocchet. His 12 goals through Anaheim’s first six games of November also mark the first such start to a calendar month since 1921–22.
The milestone arrived in defeat: Nashville ended Anaheim’s five-game streak and eight-game run of scoring at least five goals. The Ducks must find offense against tighter checking, even when Gauthier scores. Troy Terry’s return from hip surgery gives coach Joel Quenneville another veteran winger.
The Immediate Fallout for the Anaheim Ducks
Ahead of Wednesday’s game, NHL.com’s projected lines placed Gauthier with center Mikael Granlund and rookie Beckett Sennecke. That trio generated Anaheim’s opener when Sennecke’s move into the slot sent the puck to Gauthier, who finished from the right circle. Keeping the line together is the logical starting point; separating the team’s hottest scorer from its playmakers after one loss would be an overreaction.
The defensive response matters more. Nashville tied the game within 21 seconds, took control with Nils Höglander’s second-period goal, and pulled away behind Shane Wright and Steven Stamkos. Anaheim’s power play also went 0-for-3 after scoring in eight straight games, according to the Associated Press.
Terry returned from June hip surgery and played 11:41 in his first game of 2026–27. He was projected to begin alongside Tim Washe and Nikita Nesterenko, giving Quenneville an experienced option to increase depth scoring as Terry regains game sharpness. The Ducks also reassigned Nico Myatovic to AHL San Diego on Wednesday; the team did not characterize that move as a Gauthier-related cap maneuver.
NHLTR Roster & Cap Impact: What the Scoring Streak Changes
Anaheim already committed to Gauthier in September, signing him through 2031–32. PuckPedia lists the deal at six years and $81 million, with a fixed $13.5 million annual cap hit. His 2026–27 cash compensation is approximately $19.50 million, including an $18.65 million signing bonus; that larger cash number is not an additional salary-cap charge.
Contract: six years / $81M, through 2031–32. Source: NHL.com and PuckPedia.
The streak raises Gauthier’s value to Anaheim on the ice, not his current cap hit. There is no new signing, LTIR placement or performance bonus tied to these goals, and no verified report that the Ducks are considering moving him. Management’s practical decision is how to distribute power-play touches and line support around a high-cost, high-output finisher.
What They Are Saying
Granlund summarized the Ducks’ immediate problem after the defeat: Tonight, we could only score two.
Quenneville pointed to Nashville’s puck pressure, saying the Predators turned pucks over because they’re strong on their sticks.
Both remarks, carried by NHL.com, underline the difference between a player driving offense and a team sustaining it.
Before the game, Quenneville praised Gauthier’s finish, calling him hotter than a firecracker
in the Ducks’ official preview. That assessment still fits after Wednesday; the problem is that a goal from Gauthier was not enough against Nashville’s disciplined checking.
Final Take
Matching a Lemieux–Mogilny scoring benchmark is significant, but Anaheim’s next step is turning Gauthier’s historic finishing into wins against structured opponents. Saturday’s home game against the New York Islanders offers the next test.
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