The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 4 at Honda Center on Sunday night, tying the Western Conference Second Round series 2-2.
Cutter Gauthier had three assists, and the Ducks finally got a power play when they needed it most.
Beckett Seneca, Alex Killorn, Mikael Granlund and Ian Moore scored for Anaheim. Lucas Dostal made 18 saves, and the Ducks improved to 4–0 in these playoff losses.
Anaheim finally gets the man right
Anaheim went to the power play in the first period and Seneca scored past Carter Hart at 8:43 to make the score 1–0.
Seneca continues to advance in these playoffs. NHL.com reported that he joined Bobby Ryan as the only rookies in Ducks history to score in three consecutive playoff games. For a fan base that has been waiting for young talent to become real stars in the postseason, this is a very strong sign.
Vegas responded immediately. Pavel Dorofeyev equalized at 10:22 after Mitch Marner's shot went loose near the crease. However, there is no panic from Anaheim. Granlund later put the Ducks ahead 2-1 after changing the direction of his shot and slipping it under Hart.
Killorn's goal changed the atmosphere
At 17:58 of the second period, Killorn banked the puck in from near the goal line for Anaheim's second power-play goal of the night. This was the play that seemed most impressive. Vegas had tied the game on a goal by Brett Howden early in the period, and Anaheim needed a clean response before halftime.
Reuters reported that the Ducks were 0-for-11 on the power play in the series before breaking twice in Game 4. That's no small change, it's the kind of detail that can swing a series, especially against a Vegas team that doesn't typically allow many second chances.
Ian Moore made a major contribution
Moore made it 4-2 at 3:43 of the third period with the goal-winner. Moore has played well in the last two games, which makes this moment even better. Not every playoff hero comes with the spotlight already on him.
Vegas continued to push late in the game. Tomas Hertl cut the lead to 4–3 with 1:04 remaining after the Golden Knights pulled Hart for an extra attacker. Marner finished with three assists, and after the game he had an NHL-leading 16 playoff points.
For Ducks fans, this was one of those games that gave hope for the rest of the series. The power play woke up, the kids contributed to it and the veterans helped stabilize it. Now it's one of the best three, and Anaheim has made this series very lively.
Game 5 is on Tuesday, May 12 in Las Vegas and Game 6 is on Thursday, May 14 in Anaheim.
