In a thrilling overtime finish, the Vegas Golden Knights edged the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Tuesday night, taking a crucial 3-2 series lead in their second-round playoff battle. Pavel Dorofeyev emerged as the hero, netting his second goal of the game just 4:10 into overtime to send the home crowd into a frenzy. The Golden Knights now stand one win away from advancing to the Western Conference final for the first time since their Stanley Cup victory in 2023.
Game 6 shifts to Anaheim on Thursday night, where the Ducks—making their first playoff appearance in eight years—will fight to force a decisive Game 7 back in Las Vegas on Saturday. The stakes couldn't be higher, and the intensity on the ice reflected that from the opening puck drop.
Tomas Hertl, who had gone 29 games without a goal stretching back to the regular season, has now found his scoring touch with two goals in two games. He also set up Dorofeyev's power-play tally in the first period, while Jack Eichel dished out two assists, including the primary helper on the game-winner. The Golden Knights' depth is coming alive at the perfect time, a hallmark of championship-caliber teams.
The Ducks, however, showed their resilience. Defenseman Olen Zellweger scored his first career playoff goal from the left circle to tie the game at 2 with just 3:05 left in regulation, forcing overtime. Beckett Sennecke continued his hot streak, extending his goal-scoring run to four games with a power-play marker. Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each contributed two assists, and goaltender Lukas Dostal stood tall with 29 saves, keeping Anaheim in the fight.
The game took a tense turn midway through the first period when Ducks center Ryan Poehling was helped off the ice after a hard check into the boards by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb. McNabb received a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct, leaving the Golden Knights without a key blue-liner. Anaheim capitalized on the power play, with Sennecke scoring off a rebound. But Dorofeyev answered quickly, picking up the puck from Chris Kreider, sliding to the slot, and snapping a shot past Dostal to keep Vegas within reach.
Hertl's rebound goal early in the third period seemed like it might hold up as the winner, but Zellweger's late equalizer—set up by extended offensive zone pressure—sent the game to extra time. In the end, it was Dorofeyev's night, and the Golden Knights now have a golden opportunity to close out the series on the road.