Golden Knights-Ducks series preview: Breakdown, X factors and prediction

The last time the Anaheim Ducks were in the playoffs prior to this year was 2018.

That was when the Vegas Golden Knights entered the NHL. They won the Pacific Division and made the Stanley Cup Final.

Who would’ve thought that year marked the end of the Ducks’ run of consistent dominance in the Pacific? The Knights took the torch for the next nine seasons and ran with it.

The Knights and Ducks will meet for the first time in the playoffs when they open their second-round series at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

The Knights are coming off a six-game series win over the Utah Mammoth where they rallied off three straight wins after falling behind 2-1.

Anaheim, after an improbable regular season, stormed through the Edmonton Oilers in six games to ensure the Western Conference will have a new champion this year.

“It’s a different Anaheim team that we’ve played in the past,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “They’re playing some really good hockey. They had some good stretches this year and I think they’re probably feeling it right now.”

Here’s a look at the series:

About the Ducks

The Ducks had to grow up fast to be in this position. They entered this year having missed the playoffs for seven straight years.

To get back there, they added names that have been there before.

That process started May 8 when they hired Joel Quenneville, the three-time Stanley Cup champion coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, to be their new bench boss.

Anaheim acquired former New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in December 2024 to add more veteran experience on their blue line.

In June, they struck another deal with the Rangers, adding former 50-goal scorer Chris Kreider.

They added two-time Stanley Cup champion Alex Killorn in 2023, Stanley Cup finalist and now-captain Radko Gudas in 2024 and Stanley Cup champion defenseman John Carlson at the trade deadline in March.

Anaheim’s biggest trade, arguably, wasn’t made with the present in mind — when the Ducks acquired winger Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2024 for defenseman Jamie Drysdale.

Gauthier, in his second full season, scored 41 goals this year.

The Ducks, similarly to the Mammoth, have taken the approach of building through the draft and rounding out with proven experience.

Center Leo Carlsson has turned into a two-way force at 21 years old and has blossomed into a cornerstone in Anaheim as the No. 2 pick in 2023.

The next year, they added winger Beckett Sennecke with the third overall pick. The 20-year-old turned into a Calder Trophy favorite this season with 23 goals and 60 points.

There are even those that have been with the franchise through the turbulent years that are reaping the rewards. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe, 25, has turned into an elite blue liner following a 58-point season that included a roster spot on the gold medal-winning Team USA in the Winter Olympics.

LaCombe led Anaheim with nine points in the first round.

Winger Troy Terry is the longest-tenured Ducks player at 28 years old, and he had a strong series against Edmonton with three goals and eight points.

“I think this team is highly skilled,” center Nic Dowd said. “They have a lot of guys that’ll take you 1-on-1, similar to a couple of the top lines in Utah. Some similar players from Utah to Anaheim. The neutral zone was something that we discussed a lot and we take high priority in winning that zone, and Anaheim is no different than Utah was.”

Season series breakdown

Nov. 8: Ducks 4, Golden Knights 3 (OT)

Nov. 22: Ducks 4, Golden Knights 3 (OT)

Feb. 1: Ducks 4, Golden Knights 3

The Knights earned points in two of the three games, but the Ducks swept the season series for the first time ever.

Trouba scored the winning goal in the first meeting off a great play from Carlsson. Gauthier scored the winner two weeks later off a turnover from Mitch Marner.

Anaheim jumped out to a 3-0 lead in February before the Knights rallied, but ultimately couldn’t get it to overtime.

The biggest difference this time around: John Tortorella is behind the Knights’ bench now, and the Knights are 11-1-2 including the playoffs since he took over for Bruce Cassidy.

X Factors

Ducks: Cutter Gauthier, RW: The Knights eventually slowed down Utah goal scorer Dylan Guenther as the series went on. They’re going to need to do that to Gauthier. Tortorella, who was the coach of the Flyers when Gauthier was traded, said he “didn’t know Cutter from a hole in the wall.” He’ll get to know him this series.

Golden Knights: Shea Theodore, D: There’s something about Theodore that when he starts scoring, he gets on a roll. He had four points in the first round to go with goals in Games 4 and 5. He’s feeling good about his game right now. It also seems appropriate to choose the Original Misfit that came from Anaheim.

Key battle

Depth scoring: Star power is going to dictate this series. But who can score the goals when both top lines find themselves neutralized at some point?

This is the time for Tomas Hertl to break through. Monday will be two months since he last scored. A goal from him in any capacity would go a long way. One from Reilly Smith or Keegan Kolesar wouldn’t hurt, either.

Eyes will be on Carlsson, Gauthier and Terry up front, among others. Ryan Poehling scored Anaheim’s overtime goal in Game 4. Mason McTavish and Sennecke had one goal each in the first round. They could turn the tide.

“I think it’s always a different test,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “Both teams are resetting after hard-fought series. It should be a lot of fun.”

Prediction

The first round came down to experience. The Ducks didn’t care for that when they defeated the Oilers. There’s going to be a lot of open ice to start the series, but it will close up as it goes along. That favors the Knights, as it showed when they slowed down Utah. To the Western Conference final they go. Knights in 6

Up next

Who: Ducks at Golden Knights

What: Game 1, second round

When: 6:30 p.m. Monday

Where: T-Mobile Arena

TV: ESPN

Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM/KKGK 1340 AM

Line: Knights -165; total 6½

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Golden Knights-Ducks series schedule

Game 1: Monday, 6:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)

Game 2: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (TNT)

Game 3: Friday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (TNT)

Game 4: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (ESPN)

*Game 5: May 12, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)

*Game 6: May 14, TBD at Honda Center (TNT)

*Game 7: May 16, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN or ABC)

*if necessary