The Anaheim Ducks have officially ended their seven-year playoff drought, and they're not done yet. After finishing third in the Pacific Division during the 2025-26 NHL season, the Ducks stunned the hockey world by defeating the two-time reigning Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers in six games during the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was Anaheim's first postseason series victory since 2017, and the team is riding a wave of momentum as they prepare for a second-round showdown with the Vegas Golden Knights.
This resurgence comes under the guidance of head coach Joel Quenneville, who brought his championship pedigree to Anaheim in May 2025. The three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks immediately turned the Ducks around, engineering a 12-point improvement from the previous season. Quenneville's squad edged out the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific before pulling off a gritty first-round upset against Edmonton.
In that series, the Ducks showed their defensive prowess by holding Connor McDavid—the 2026 Art Ross Trophy winner—without a point in the first two games. Despite blowing a third-period lead in the opener, Anaheim bounced back to split the road games before winning three straight at home to clinch the series. It was a statement performance that has fans dreaming of the team's first conference final appearance in nine years.
On the other side, the Vegas Golden Knights are looking to return to the Western Conference Final for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup three years ago. But their path hasn't been easy. Vegas fell behind 2-1 in their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth before rallying with three consecutive wins, including a dramatic overtime victory and a double-overtime thriller. Brett Howden emerged as an unlikely hero, scoring four goals in those three wins—two of which were short-handed, including the double-OT series clincher in Game 5. Howden had just 12 goals in 58 regular-season games, but he's been a force when it matters most.
The regular-season series between these two teams was a thriller, with the Ducks sweeping all three meetings by identical 4-3 scores. Two of those wins came in overtime. Defenseman Jacob Trouba and forward Troy Terry each piled up five points (one goal, four assists) against Vegas, providing a blueprint for how Anaheim can attack the Golden Knights' defense. The series opens Monday at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, and promises to be a battle of two teams peaking at the right time.
For fans looking to get in on the action, the latest BetMGM promo code offers a chance to wager on this exciting second-round matchup. Whether you're backing the Ducks' Cinderella run or the Golden Knights' championship experience, this series has all the makings of a classic.