Takeaways from the Ducks 3-1 Win over the Golden Knights, Series Tied 1-1

Desperate to even their second-round series before it transitions to Orange County, the Anaheim Ducks took on the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 2 of their series on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. Vegas took a 1-0 series lead on Monday, winning 3-1 despite Anaheim being the better of the teams from an analytical or eyetest perspective. 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 2 - Ducks vs.

Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/06/26) Anaheim Ducks Rival Sharks to Draft Second Overall A controversial call on Vegas’ eventual game-winner and stellar performance from Carter Hart, combined with a lack of critical execution from the Ducks, put Anaheim down a game for the second series in a row. When it seemed like everything was status quo for the Ducks, Quenneville pulled a bit of a fast one just prior to puck drop. After morning skate and line rushes didn’t reveal anything different from how they lined up for Game 1, Mason McTavish and Ian Moore were scratched in favor of Ross Johnston and Jansen Harkins.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this one: Kreider-Carlsson-Terry Killorn-Granlund-Gauthier Viel-Poehling-Sennecke Johnston-Washe-Harkins LaCombe-Trouba Mintyukov-Carlson Hinds-Helleson Lukas Dostal got the start in Anaheim’s crease and stopped 21 of 22 shots. In Vegas’ net, Carter Hart got the start and saved 25 of 27. Game Notes This may have been the Ducks’ best defensive game in a decade.

They were pressuring in every zone, and locked down the area of the ice that had plagued them for as long as memory will serve: the net front. The Ducks had potentially shot themselves in the foot early, doing well to draw seven straight minutes of power play time, with one being at 5v3, and couldn’t find a way to convert. However, at 5v5, they stacked offensive zone cycles together and were able to capitalize on the few defensive lapses they were able to manufacture from Vegas in this game.