Frank Vatrano scored three goals, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-1 victory over the playoff-bound Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, ending the season on a high note.
The Golden Knights’ three-game winning streak ended, and the loss dropped them from third place in the Pacific Division to the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. This shift occurred because Los Angeles secured a point by reaching overtime against Chicago. Consequently, the defending Stanley Cup champions will face the top-seeded Dallas Stars in the first round, starting Monday night, while the Kings will play Edmonton.
“Every team left standing is a good hockey team,” said Jack Eichel, who scored the lone goal for the Knights. “There’s no easy path to winning. We understand every game is going to be a battle. Let’s be pretty excited. It’s a great opportunity for our team.”
Vatrano’s goals brought his season total to 37, a career-high. This marked his third hat trick and the sixth of the season.
Jackson LaCombe contributed a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who finished with a 27-50-5 record for 59 points. Ryan Strome added two assists, and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves.
Cutter Gauthier recorded an assist in his first NHL game, just five days after playing in the NCAA championship game at the Frozen Four for Boston College.
“It feels incredible,” Gauthier said about his primary assistance with LaCombe’s goal. “I heard Comber calling for it there, and I passed it on to him. I saw it trickle in and felt pure joy. It’s something you dream of as a kid.”
Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg, who played his final NHL game after 12 seasons, was congratulated by his teammates and then shook hands with Golden Knights players. Silfverberg spent 11 seasons with Anaheim, ranking in the top 10 of several categories.
“I enjoyed my time here a lot, not just me but my family,” Silfverberg said. “It’s been 11 amazing years. It’s definitely a team I’ll be rooting for and I’ll follow them closely.”
Eichel’s goal was his 31st of the season, his most since scoring 36 in the 2019-20 season with Buffalo. Adin Hill made 19 stops for Vegas.
William Karlsson’s second-period assist for the Golden Knights gave him 60 points this season, marking the second time he’s reached that milestone. He had 78 points in the 2017-18 season.
Karlsson remains the club’s single-season goals leader with 43, with Jonathan Marchessault falling just one short despite 13 shots against the Ducks, including seven on goal. Marchessault scored only one goal in his final seven games.
The Knights made a concerted effort to get Marchessault the record, often passing to him even when there were better options. He had nine shots in the first period alone, with four on goal matching the Ducks’ first-period total. Four other shots were blocked, and one missed the net.
Anaheim didn’t take its first shot on goal until the 10-minute mark.
“We were asleep in the first 10, 12 minutes,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “We didn’t have our legs. They weren’t moving their feet. They weren’t moving the puck. Vegas was. Fortunately, we weren’t down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes.”
After a scoreless first period, Vatrano scored at 4:25 of the second, and Eichel responded at 18:47 with Vegas’ ninth power-play goal this month, tying Calgary for most in the NHL.
LaCombe and Vatrano scored 29 seconds apart early in the third period to give Anaheim the lead for good. Vatrano’s final goal came with 15 seconds left on an empty-netter with the Knights on a 6-on-4 power play.
Ducks defenseman William Lagesson skated in his 100th career game.
UP NEXT
- Blackhawks: At Los Angeles on Thursday to end the season.
- Golden Knights: Host Anaheim on Thursday to close the regular season.