Hertl scores decisive goal as Golden Knights beat Ducks 3-1
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) skates with the puck against Anaheim Ducks left wing Alex Killorn (17) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/David Becker
LAS VEGAS — Tomas Hertl scored a go-ahead goal in the third period, Adin Hill made 31 saves and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Monday night.
After the Ducks tied the game on Mason McTavish’s goal early in the second period, Hertl broke the tie when he took a pass from Jack Eichel in front of Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal and maneuvered to his backhand.
Tanner Pearson scored a short-handed goal in the first period and Keegan Kolesar scored in the third period for Vegas.
Dostal made 19 saves in relief of Ducks starter John Gibson, who stopped all 11 shots he faced before leaving in the first period when Vegas’ Tanner Laczynski inadvertently poked the veteran netminder in the eye with the blade of his stick.
Takeaways
Ducks: Brock McGinn left with a lower-body injury after running into Hertl on the boards, leaving the Ducks to shuffle fourth-line wing Brett Leason.
Golden Knights: Coach Bruce Cassidy earned his 119th win, the most wins by a head coach in club history. The team was founded in 2016. The former Jack Adams winner is 119-59-20 in three seasons.
Key moment
With a chance to steal momentum in the second period, Anaheim’s Alex Killorn dumped the puck in. Hill went behind the net to get the puck, which caromed off one of the linesman’s skates and went on goal. Hill dove awkwardly to make the save, and Anaheim's Leo Carlsson had a wide-open net but fired a backhand wide right.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague (14) skates with the puck against Anaheim Ducks right wing Brett Leason (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/David Becker
Key stat
After playing 65 minutes in Sunday’s 5-4 overtime victory in Salt Lake City, Dostal added 39:37 in relief of Gibson, for a total of 104:37 in roughly 24 hours.
Up next
The Ducks host Philadelphia on Saturday. Vegas heads to San Jose for a Pacific Division clash on Friday night.
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