LAS VEGAS — Clearly, the Ducks aren’t one of those just-happy-to-be-here teams. They weren’t content simply to have advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2018. They weren’t satisfied with a first-round victory over the Edmonton Oilers, their first series win since 2017.
But now, they’re one defeat from elimination after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of their second-round series on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena. Who would have guessed it possible that they would still have a chance to continue playing this deep into the playoffs?
Pavel Dorofeyev’s second goal of the game, 4:10 into sudden-death overtime, enabled the Golden Knights to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tomas Hertl’s tiebreaking goal put Vegas ahead 4:48 into the third period, and it left the Ducks scrambling down the stretch to produce an equalizer. They got it on defenseman Olen Zellweger’s goal at 16:55 of the third, tying it 2-2 and capping a furious push that sent the game to OT.
Game 6 is set for Thursday night at Honda Center.
Game 7, if necessary, will be Saturday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena.
The winner of this series faces the winner of the second-round series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild. Colorado holds a 3-1 series lead after a 5-2 victory over the Wild on Monday in St. Paul, Minnesota. Game 6 of their series is Wednesday in Denver.
The Ducks paid a steep price for taking a 1-0 lead in the first period, and so did the Golden Knights. Ryan Poehling of the Ducks was knocked into the boards by hard-charging Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb and needed assistance to reach the dressing room nine minutes into the game.
After a lengthy review, McNabb was given a 5-minute interference major and a game misconduct. McNabb could be suspended by the NHL for Game 6. Poehling was later ruled out for the rest of the game because of an upper-body injury. He was clearly in jeopardy after McNabb’s hit.
The Ducks scored once during the ensuing 5-minute power play, with rookie Beckett Sennecke smacking home rebound of Cutter Gauthier’s shot from the right wing. Sennecke scored for the fourth consecutive game, one of only four NHL rookies in the last 25 years with such a playoff streak.
They were 0 for 11 to start the series.
The Ducks’ lead did not last the period, though.
Vegas countered with Dorofeyev’s power-play goal almost four minutes later. Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal denied the Golden Knights’ Mitch Marner on a breakaway attempt with a deft poke-check at the moment of truth. Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov was penalized for slashing Marner.
There was no scoring in the second period, and the team went to the third period deadlocked, 1-1. The Ducks dominated in many aspects of the second-period play, outshooting the Knights 17-6, establishing a speed game that put Vegas on its heels for most of the period.
Leo Carlsson nearly pulled off a remarkable display of puck control during a dash down the left wing, twisting Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore into a pretzel before lifting a backhanded shot high and wide of goalie Carter Hart’s net in the closing minutes of the middle period.
At one point, the Golden Knights went more than seven minutes without a shot in the second period.
More to come on this story.