Chandler Stephenson scored twice in the first period as the Vegas Golden Knights rolled to their franchise-record ninth consecutive win, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Saturday night.
Stephenson, who recorded the first three-point night of his career, led the charge, while former Ducks Shea Theodore and William Karlsson also scored for Vegas. William Carrier added a goal as the Golden Knights clinched their seventh win in eight meetings against Anaheim this season, moving closer to their fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
Despite losing forwards Tomas Nosek and Nicolas Roy to injuries early in the game, Vegas hasn’t lost since April 7, with just nine regular-season games remaining.
“It’s an impressive run,” said Vegas coach Peter DeBoer. “I don’t care who you’re playing—winning nine in a row is tough, and we’ve done it in various ways. Our foundation has been solid every night, giving us a chance to win. Tonight was a real dig-deep win.”
Robin Lehner made 23 saves, earning his second win at Honda Center in nine days. Lehner previously shut out the Ducks 4-0 on April 16, stifling the league’s lowest-scoring offense.
“We’re scoring up and down the lineup,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said, who had two assists. “That takes some pressure off our top guys. Even if we’re not scoring on the power play, we’re building momentum and getting goals from our defense. It all adds up.”
Sam Steel scored the lone goal for Anaheim, which has lost four straight and nine of its last 12. The Ducks, who are set to miss the playoffs for a third straight season, are in the midst of their longest postseason drought since 2002.
“They’re hitting their stride right now, playing championship-caliber hockey from top to bottom,” said Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. “We weren’t close in those games. The effort was there, but they’re a team that swarms and makes it really tough.”
John Gibson made 26 saves for the Ducks but remains winless in eight straight home starts since March 8. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf did not return after the first period due to an upper-body injury.
“We have several top players out, and we’re up against a Stanley Cup-contending team,” said Ducks coach Dallas Eakins. “We needed a perfect 60-minute game to compete. We made too many turnovers, and against a team like that, they will make you pay.”
Stephenson wasted no time opening the scoring, capitalizing on a turnover by Anaheim’s David Backes just 28 seconds in. Max Pacioretty’s backhand pass from the goal line found Stephenson in the slot, extending Pacioretty’s point streak to seven games.
Later in the first period, Theodore delivered a precision outlet pass, catching the Ducks off guard and setting up Stephenson for his second goal on a breakaway.
Pietrangelo then fed Carrier for his fifth goal of the season, extending Vegas’ lead to 3-0.
Steel spoiled Lehner’s shutout bid early in the third period with a rebound goal from his knees, marking his first goal since March 28. However, Karlsson quickly responded, adding his 10th goal in the last 13 games against Anaheim.
Division Race Tightens
The win pushed Vegas four points ahead of Colorado, which was atop the West Division, though the Avalanche have two games in hand. The two teams are set to face off twice more this season, including a crucial meeting on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
“We’ll be fighting for first place right to the end of the season,” DeBoer said. “I like that we’re playing against the top teams in the division down the stretch. It’s going to get us playoff-ready.”
Up Next
- Golden Knights: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
- Ducks: Travel to face the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
