Chris Kreider netted two goals and Lukas Dostal turned aside 27 shots as the Anaheim Ducks held off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Sunday night, completing a three-game season sweep of their Pacific Division rivals.
Cutter Gauthier tallied his 24th goal of the season, and Ryan Poehling sealed the victory with an empty-netter as the Ducks notched their eighth win in the last 10 contests. Despite a dominant third period from Vegas, Anaheim held on after nearly blowing a 3-0 lead.
Golden Knights’ Skid Continues
Vegas’ losing streak extended to five games and seven of their last eight, a troubling stretch for the defending Stanley Cup champions. This downturn has come on the heels of a brief 8-2-0 resurgence, sandwiched between two five-game slides since Christmas.
Tomas Hertl scored with six seconds remaining to bring the Knights within one, while Mitch Marner and Ivan Barbashev each extended their personal goal streaks to three games. Goaltender Adin Hill made 19 saves in the loss.
Kreider Leads the Charge
Kreider, who was acquired by Anaheim from the New York Rangers last summer, opened the scoring late in the first period when a shot deflected off his leg and into the net. He followed that up early in the second, tipping in his 19th goal of the campaign for his first multi-goal game since early November.
Gauthier extended the Ducks’ lead to 3-0 shortly after, firing a power-play goal past Hill—Anaheim’s fifth in as many games.
Vegas Rallies but Falls Short
Vegas responded with increased pressure in the third. Marner scored on a fortunate bounce after Mark Stone’s pass caromed off two Ducks. Barbashev brought the Knights within a goal by capitalizing on a rebound after Jack Eichel’s shot slipped away from Dostal.
Still, the comeback came up short despite their late push.
Roster Notes and Atmosphere
The Ducks welcomed back Troy Terry (upper-body injury) and Mason McTavish (five-game absence), bolstering their lineup. Reilly Smith reached a milestone with his 900th career game and added an assist on Roy’s goal for Vegas.
Anaheim continued to enjoy strong fan support, with its eighth straight home sellout as it kicked off a nine-game homestand.
Key Stats and Moments
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Key Moment: Kreider’s second goal gave Anaheim a commanding 2-0 lead early in the second.
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Key Stat: The Ducks’ sweep marks three wins over Vegas this season, a rare feat against the usually dominant Knights.
Up Next
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Golden Knights: Return home to face the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.
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Ducks: Continue their homestand against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.
