On Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights (10-4-7) played the second of a three-game road trip against the Anaheim Ducks (14-7-1). They jumped out to a two-goal lead, then allowed the Ducks to score two quick ones of their own. They retook the lead, but Anaheim answered back; ultimately, they fell 4-3 in overtime.

The Golden Knights broke the ice 3:35 into the first. Jack Eichel won the offensive zone faceoff back to Shea Theodore. Theodore walked the line, played catch with Eichel below the goal line, and one-timed a blast that beat Lukáš Dostál through traffic.  

The Golden Knights quickly doubled their lead, striking again at 4:37 in the second. Noah Hanifin held the puck in at the blue line and touched it ahead for Zach Whitecloud, who fed Ivan Barbashev below the goal line. Barbashev tried to bank a shot in off Drew Helleson, and Braedan Bowman backhanded the rebound past Dostál.

Three minutes later, the Ducks answered back with two quick goals of their own. 

The Ducks got on the board at 7:43 in the first. Noah Hanifin impeded Beckett Sennecke’s breakaway, but Sennecke kept with it and circled back out to the point. He dusted the puck off, drifted through the high slot, and set Jackson LaCombe up for a one-timer that beat Akira Schmid. 

Just 34 seconds later, the Ducks found the equalizer off the rush. Troy Terry broke the puck out, entered the zone, and sent the puck to Olen Zellweger. Zellweger accepted the pass and sent a seemingly harmless wrister past Akira Schmid.

The Golden Knights regained the lead on the power play at 17:59 in the first. Tomáš Hertl planted himself in front of the net and deflected Jack Eichel’s shot from the point past Lukáš Dostál.

The Ducks dominated the Golden Knights in the second period, generating chance after chance and outshooting them 13-8. Akira Schmid stood tall and made several timely saves, including one against Chris Kreider on a breakaway.

The Ducks broke through and found the equalizer at 13:50 in the second. Jackson LaCombe sent a bank pass to Leo Carlsson, who raced up ice on a 2-on-1 with Troy Terry. Carlsson evaded the stick of Brayden McNabb and set Terry up for a one-timer, which he blasted over Akira Schmid’s shoulder.

The Ducks were the better team in the third period, generating 14 scoring chances to the Golden Knights’ seven. The goaltenders stood tall and made big saves all period to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, the Golden Knights won the opening draw, but quickly lost possession. The Ducks were all over them, generating five scoring chances to Vegas’ one. 

At 3:57, the Ducks scored off a defensive-zone turnover. Mitch Marner lost control of the puck in front of the net, and Cutter Gauthier capitalized.

Oh, that’s a real Mitch right there. Loses the puck right in front of the net and Cutter Gauthier doesn’t pass those opportunities up.

4-3 OT final… again.

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— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) November 23, 2025

7 Golden Knights Observations

1. Tonight, Tomáš Hertl skated in his 100th game as a Golden Knight. His line with Pavel Dorofeyev and Mitch Marner had a strong night, outshooting their opponents 7-3 at 5-on-5. Individually, Hertl went 15-4 in the dot, recorded three shots, and scored a go-ahead goal to regain the lead in the first period.

2. Jack Eichel is a truly terrific hockey player. His struggles at 3-on-3 make no logical sense. But, then again, the whole team struggles at 3-on-3, and that doesn’t make much sense either, does it?

3. Early in the first period, this game looked like it was going to devolve into run-and-gun, firewagon hockey. Nope. After combining for four goals in the first 8:17, they went on to score just three more in the remaining 55:40 of the game. That was due in no small part to goaltending– Akira Schmid and Lukáš Dostál both made fantastic saves in the second and third periods.

4. This game wasn’t officiated terribly well. The Ducks probably deserved a few more power plays than the two they were given. However, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill looked strong tonight. So it might not have made a difference.

5. The Golden Knights struggled with execution tonight. They generated chances, but not at the level they could have if their passing was on point. 

6. Reilly Smith is going to see Lukáš Dostál in his dreams. He had a great chance in the second period, but Dostál responded with an even greater save.

Without Lukáš Dostál, this game isn’t tied now either. Enormous toe save minutes before Terry’s equalizer. Dostál’s goals saved above expected in this game is mathematically under zero, but it feels much higher.#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/4QcCIiuDUn

— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) November 23, 2025

7. After 21 games, the Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division; the Golden Knights are tied with the Seattle Kraken for second. One thing’s for certain: the Golden Knights will be seeing a lot more of the Ducks in the coming years. And if these past two games are any indication, they might not be the top dogs for much longer.