LAS VEGAS – In a thrilling playoff opener, Ivan Barbashev and the Golden Knights overcame a controversial no-call to secure a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. Barbashev’s crucial goal, assisted by Pavel Dorofeyev, came with just under five minutes remaining, sealing the win for Vegas in the first game of their second-round playoff series.
The Golden Knights will look to build on this momentum as they prepare for Game 2 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series, scheduled for Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
The pivotal moment occurred when the officials chose not to call icing, a decision that did not sit well with Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville. Barbashev took advantage of the play, sending a pass from behind the red line to teammate Jack Eichel, who was engaged in a battle with Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe for the puck. The linesman, Bevan Mills, waved off the icing call, leading to a crucial scoring opportunity for the Golden Knights.
“Clearly, I disagreed with the call,” Quenneville remarked post-game. “Their guy stopped skating, which really made me annoyed.” In contrast, Golden Knights coach John Tortorella, who admitted he did not have a clear view of the play, praised Barbashev for his relentless effort after the no-call.
Barbashev explained his thought process: “I tried to put the puck deep and I thought I saw Jack on the far side going deep. Jack put pressure on him, they turned it over, and Pav made a great play.” This teamwork proved critical as the game unfolded.
Brett Howden also stood out for the Golden Knights, extending his personal goal streak to four games, netting his fifth goal during this run. Mitch Marner played a significant role as well, assisting on Howden’s goal early in the second period and later sealing the game with an empty-net goal from 162 feet away in the final seconds. Goaltender Carter Hart was instrumental in the victory, stopping 33 shots to maintain the lead.
On the Anaheim side, Mikael Granlund managed to find the back of the net, while Lukas Dostal made 19 saves. Despite being outshot 34-22, the Golden Knights displayed resilience and strategic play that allowed them to triumph.
Tortorella acknowledged the Ducks’ struggle in the game, stating, “They were the better team tonight. I thought as the game went on, we started finding our game, but we couldn’t find it completely. … It’s a find-a-way league. We found a way to win, and I’m certainly not going to apologize for the win.”
Vegas’ penalty kill continued to excel, successfully shutting down all four of Anaheim’s power-play opportunities, extending their streak to 14 consecutive kills without conceding a goal. The Golden Knights have been particularly effective on the penalty kill this postseason, successfully defending 19 of 20 attempts.
In a notable return, Golden Knights center William Karlsson made his comeback after being sidelined since November 8 due to a lower-body injury. His presence was felt immediately, as the crowd erupted upon seeing him on the video board shortly after the game began.
The Ducks started strong, outshooting the Golden Knights 11-6 in the first period and maintaining puck control early in the second. However, the Golden Knights struck first with their initial shot on goal in the second period when Marner delivered a precise pass to Howden, who capitalized on the opportunity.
Though it seemed the Ducks would quickly reply, a missed opportunity by LaCombe, who opted to pass instead of shooting during a prime scoring chance, allowed Vegas to maintain their lead. The Ducks finally found the equalizer when Granlund scored at 13:57 of the third period, only for the Golden Knights to respond swiftly with Barbashev’s goal just over a minute later, restoring their advantage.
As the series continues, both teams will look to adjust and capitalize on their strengths in the upcoming games.
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