The Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights are set to drop the puck on their Western Conference semifinal series Monday night in Las Vegas, and if you’re looking for a smart Game 1 parlay, the smart money is on the home team protecting its ice.
Sure, the Ducks swept the regular-season series against Vegas, going 3-0. But the playoffs are a different animal, and when the stakes are highest, experience tends to win out—at least in the opener. Anaheim is riding high after an emotional first-round upset over Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Edmonton Oilers, closing it out with a 5-2 win at home in Game 6. That kind of high can lead to a letdown, especially against a veteran Golden Knights squad hungry to defend home ice.
The Ducks are undoubtedly building something special. Their young core is electric, and the future is bright in Orange County. Cutter Gauthier, just 22 years old, became the third-youngest player in franchise history to score a series-clinching goal and the first Duck since 2015 to post a multi-point performance in a potential clincher. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe tied for the most points by a Ducks blueliner in their first career playoff series with nine, and he’s just one point away from tying an NHL record for fewest games to reach 10 career postseason points by a defenseman.
But youth can be unpredictable. While Anaheim’s power play was a blistering 8-for-16 in Round 1, that success came against an Edmonton team notorious for undiscipline. Vegas is a tighter, more structured opponent. And in net, Lukas Dostal posted a 3.87 goals-against average and an .874 save percentage against the Oilers—numbers that won’t cut it against a deeper, more experienced Golden Knights attack.
That’s not to say the Ducks lack veteran savvy. Chris Kreider scored his 49th career playoff goal in Game 6, putting him one shy of becoming just the sixth U.S.-born player in NHL history to reach 50. John Carlson also joined LaCombe as only the fifth Ducks defenseman with at least five assists in a series. But even with that mix, Vegas should have the edge in Game 1.
For fans looking to gear up for the action, this series is a perfect reminder that playoff hockey demands playoff-ready gear. Whether you’re repping the Ducks’ rising stars or the Golden Knights’ battle-tested veterans, make sure your wardrobe is as prepared as the players. After all, the ice is cold, but your style should be hot.