Ducks Youth and Speed Surge Past Vegas Golden Knights in Second Period Blitz
The game flipped in one period. Vegas had the finish it needed from Shea Theodore, Braeden Bowan and Tomas Hertl, but Anaheim had the wave that mattered most.
On Friday night, the Vegas Golden Knights lost to the Anaheim Ducks, 4-3, after Anaheim turned the second period into a track meet. The Ducks scored three times in the middle frame, using young legs and direct pressure to put Vegas on its heels. For a team built on structure and patience, Vegas looked a step slow until the third period. Alex Killorn, Beckett Sennecke (near buzzer-beater, too), Jeff Malott, and Leo Karlsson all scored for Anaheim.
Jack Eichel added two assists, while Mitch Marner pitched in an assist of his own. Brayden McNabb, Victor Olofsson, and Brett Howden also had assists in the 4-3 loss.
Anaheim turned the second period into a speed test and blitzed the Vegas Golden Knights
Beckett Sennecke added a near buzzer-beater to give the Ducks a cushy 1-0 lead on a breakaway after the first period. One would think that Vegas would come out strong in the second period.
But the second period belonged to Anaheim.
The Ducks pushed the pace after changes. First came a second-period goal from Killorn less than two minutes in. Then came Jeff Malott's goal less than three minutes in. Then came Leo Carlsson burning the Golden Knights (once again) nearly five minutes later.
That pressure created the real difference. The Golden Knights couldn't keep up after Killorn's goal, letting one goal snowball into two more. That was a major problem last season, when the Golden Knights would dig themselves into deep holes against teams like the Boston Bruins and the Dallas Stars.
The good news? The Golden Knights continue to thrive on the power play, thanks to Hertl scoring on the man advantage. The bad news? A familiar problem reared its ugly head in the form of large deficits. Trying to come back from a 4-0 deficit is nearly impossible to do, as proven on Friday. It's best to go on a tear as you did on Tuesday.
The Ducks’ young core gave Vegas problems in transition
Anaheim’s youth showed up most clearly between the blue lines. Through a blitz of breakaways and quick shots, the Ducks made life miserable for Carter Hart, who stopped 16 of 20 shots.
But it wasn't just the young guns that saved the game for Anaheim. The Golden Knights couldn't figure out Lukas Dostal, who stopped 26 of 29 shots. The netminder made some fantastic toe saves and didn't budge until the third period.
The Golden Knights will head to Vancouver to take on the Canucks on Sunday, while the Ducks will fly home on Sunday to quack up the Florida Panthers. Let's hope that Vegas can stave off the Ducks in the future. Otherwise, their feathers will be ruffled.
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