Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev each found the back of the net as the Vegas Golden Knights secured a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night, closing their homestand undefeated.
Ilya Samsonov, making his debut in goal for Vegas, stopped 22 shots to earn the win. Troy Terry scored the lone goal for Anaheim, while Ducks goalie James Reimer recorded 29 saves.
The Golden Knights have started the season 3-0-0 for the fifth time since joining the NHL in 2017 and improved their all-time record against the Ducks to 24-7-1, including an impressive 14-3-0 mark at home.
Takeaways
Ducks: They looked fatigued while playing their second game in as many nights after a shutout win over San Jose. Anaheim was outshot 32-23 by a fast-paced Vegas team, struggling to match the Golden Knights’ energy.
Golden Knights: After conceding an early goal to Terry in the first period, Samsonov settled down in his debut for Vegas. He made a crucial stop on a breakaway by Trevor Zegras early in the second period, keeping the Knights in control.
Key Moment
During a Ducks penalty kill, Anaheim was left with just three effective skaters after Isac Lundestrom lost his stick. The Golden Knights took advantage, as Mark Stone set up Tomas Hertl for a one-timer from close range, giving Vegas a 2-1 lead. Hertl’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner.
Key Stat
15 — The Golden Knights have scored 15 goals across their first three games of the season, setting a franchise record for the most scored in the opening three campaign contests.
Up Next
The Ducks will host the Utah Hockey Club in their home opener on Wednesday, while the Golden Knights kick off a three-game road trip starting in Washington on Tuesday.