Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Nicolas Roy each recorded a goal and an assist on Sunday as the Vegas Golden Knights secured a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, moving into a tie for first place in the West Division with the Colorado Avalanche.
Alex Pietrangelo and Alex Tuch also scored for the Golden Knights, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves to help extend Vegas’ winning streak to six games, matching their season high.
Stone, who had his fourth straight multi-point game, matched his career-best streak from December 2019.
With the Avalanche currently paused due to COVID-19 protocols and not scheduled to return until Thursday, the Golden Knights took full advantage, inching closer to the division lead. The two teams are slated to meet twice more this regular season.
“These points are crucial as we chase Colorado and stay competitive in the race,” said Vegas coach Peter DeBoer. “We needed to win all six of these games, and the guys have stepped up and gotten it done.”
For the Ducks, Max Comtois and Danton Heinen found the back of the net, while Adam Henrique earned his 200th career assist. John Gibson stopped 24 shots for Anaheim.
Fast Start for Vegas
Pacioretty wasted no time, scoring just 3:25 into the game by redirecting Alec Martinez’s shot from the blue line. It marked Pacioretty’s team-leading 22nd goal, with Stone assisting for his team-best 35th helper of the season.
Anaheim responded quickly after being shut out by Vegas in their previous matchup. Comtois evened the score with his 13th goal of the season at 6:23, but Vegas regained the lead when Pietrangelo fired a shot past Gibson at 14:46 of the first period, making it 2-1.
Roy extended the lead early in the second period, scoring his fifth goal of the season to give Vegas a 3-1 advantage.
“It was a full team effort again, and we’re playing with a lot of confidence,” said Roy. “There aren’t many games left before the playoffs, and we need to keep playing like this.”
Heinen cut the deficit to one with a goal midway through the second, but Stone quickly responded with his 15th of the season, restoring Vegas’ two-goal cushion.
Henrique assisted Heinen with his goal, marking his 200th career assist.
Tuch sealed the victory with an empty-netter late in the game, his 16th of the season, while Martinez contributed two assists.
Ducks Fall to Dominant Golden Knights
The win improved Vegas’ record to 6-1-0 against Anaheim this season and 16-3-0 all-time against the Ducks, their most regular-season victories against any team.
Ducks coach Dallas Eakins praised the Golden Knights, saying, “They’re a well-oiled machine. That’s the kind of team we need to strive to be.”
Roy’s Rising Confidence
Roy, who centered Vegas’ fourth line, has scored in back-to-back games and has four goals in his last seven outings. The 24-year-old credited his recent surge to increased confidence.
“At the start of the season, I wasn’t getting the bounces, which affected my confidence,” said Roy. “Lately, I’ve been getting those bounces, and I’m playing with a lot more belief in myself.”
Up Next
- The Golden Knights will play back-to-back home games against the San Jose Sharks starting Monday before facing the Ducks again in Anaheim on Saturday.
- The Ducks will visit the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday for the first of five meetings between the local rivals over the next 12 days.
