Recap: The Golden Knights were trying to advance to the Western Conference finals by eliminating the Ducks in Anaheim. Mitch Marner scored immediately into Game 6 with a nifty move to give Vegas a quick 1-0 advantage. Later in the period, Vegas committed a minor infraction, but Brett Howden scored a shorthanded goal, his NHL record-tying third of the playoffs, making it an early 2-0 victory. Shea Theodore completed the trifecta with a power play goal. Vegas held a 3-0 lead after one period of action.
Vegas took multiple penalties in the middle frame which Anaheim took advantage of. However, the Golden Knights held a 3-1 edge going into the 2nd intermission.
A few minutes into the final period Pavel Dorofeyev scored his 8th and 9th goal of the postseason to give Vegas a 5-1 3rd period advantage.
The Golden Knights eliminate the Ducks 5-1 and advance to the Western Conference Final. Game 1 of the WCF against the Colorado Avalanche begins on Wednesday, May 20th. Puck drop in Denver is scheduled for 5 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: VGK’s ability to raise its game in Game 6 after un-tying a series is absolutely incredible. Last series, they played their best game in this situation, and once again, they did it in Game 6 in this one. They did exactly what you must do to make a team go away; score early, keep pressing, don’t give them hope. VGK continued to stay patient throughout the game and made it look easy to eliminate another team in this postseason. Next up is Colorado, the real test in the West. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from Game 6 of the Second Round series between the Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
- On to the Western Conference Final against the league’s best team
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Shea Theodore
** Brett Howden
* Mitch Marner
KnightWatch
Let’s get ready it’s Conference Finals time!
For the 5th time.
What can you say a very well played dominant performance.
The usuals show up in a big way.
Marner has become a playoff stud,
Dorofeyev has caught fire, Howden keeps on, Hart making the saves
Barby and Wild Bill doing what they do.
We’ll need all that and more for the next round.
We have several days to get battle ready.
All Western Conference Finals games on ESPN:
Action begins on the 20th for us.
Game 1 at COL – Wednesday, May 20 – 5 pm
Pistol Pete
Good job Golden Knights. It took maybe a game more than it might have but we sent those pesky Q-coached upstart hot shots packing, plus that breaks the Ducks unbeaten streak (7-0) playing game 6’s at home.
VGK skaters still leading the pack:
Marner: 18 pts
Dorofeyev: 9G (stands alone)
Eichel: 14A
Holy cow…Marner has assisted on all four VGK shorties this postseason (Howden got all
four?).
Marner and now Dorofeyev have both come a long way in answering concerns about the playoffs. I for one never doubted that Marner could be even more
Impactful in the playoffs here than he was in Toronto. There he went 63 pts in 70 games which is very decent but now he’s 81/82.
Now on to Denver where we might just win a game. Ask any Av over a beer and they might just tell you the VGK is on the bottom of their list of preferred opponents. Remember this one?
https://www.nhl.com/news/vegas-golden-knights-colorado-avalanche-game-recap-april-11-2026
Fifth conference final in nine years GKG!!!
The room needed a coaching change. Torts 15-4-1. Go front office go!
Scotty
Howds has three shorties, Nabber has the other one
Pistol Pete
Carter Hart this postseason:
8-4 (2.37/.917)
Career playoffs:
17-9 (2.35/920)
Pistol Pete
Marner’s breakout postseason with the Golden Knights:
https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-mitch-marner-breakout-stanley-cup-playoffs-2026
Pistol Pete
Now I remember McNabb had one of the shorties Howden the other three all assisted by Marner.
Did I forget to mention we closed out that series without McNabb and Stone?
The Chosen One
Q-coached ??!?
rb7
Great victory !!
Marner and Hart continue to play outstanding, and the rest of the guys did their thing too.
Howden and Doro scoring goals, and the patchwork d corps rising to the challenge.
Funny thing is this….Stone and McNabb have to be sitting there saying, “Damn, those guys are playing better without us. We better get back to work”
the Avs are a topnotch team, and they are red hot and riding high. It will take even more Vgk magic to get by them, but let’s go Knights!
vgk21
Good Knights.
rinse and repeat, like I said, defense, and in all 4 wins the VGk held the Ducks to 2 goals or less. THAT is the formula, the recipe to carry into the next round.
of course, Hart has to continue hot, and holding the Avs down will be a tall order.
if they get a full healthy lineup, and cut down on the damn penalties, they will do fine.
TS
Absolute master class in game management!! Our team has come together at the perfect time!
Who would have dreamt of this finish to the most controversial season yet??
The mighty AVS are next–biggest challenge of all.
So extremely proud of the boys!!!
Vic
Ken’s pretty smart. I think he said the VGK would score 5 goals tonight. Two series wins versus two young and fast teams. The Avs are elite, fast and loaded with snipers, and their goalies are better than Utah and the Ducks. We all know about all their firepower and the addition of Necas is a major problem, but they can be beat. Hart is a welcome surprise.
Let’s first celebrate this victory and then more focus on the Avs as our guys get some rest.
JoeInHendo
Great team win, took Ducks in 6 like I predicted as Ducks and Mammoth are similar-style teams, Ducks just a little bigger. Another outstanding game by Hart. The return of Wild Bill Karlsson and his 200’ game can’t be overlooked, this team is playing so much better with him now that he’s getting up to playing speed and doing all those Karlsson things that make the Knights go. He’s the spark this team was missing most of the season while he was injured. Marner’s amazing goal doesn’t happen without the beautiful pass from Karlsson. McNabb’s back and hopefully we get Stone back soon, we’ll need all the VGK players clicking together to beat Colorado. With the way VGK’s playing now, and the last regular season game beating Avalanche at full strength, should give Knights enough confidence to move on to the Stanley Cup round. I’m sticking with my previous predictions, Vegas steals one of the first two games in Colorado and closes the series out at home in 6.
DeezNutz
Mission Complete:
Mitch Marner can score in the playoffs (suck it Toronto fans)
Pavel Dorofeyev can score in the playoffs
Mitch Marner 3rd round playoff appearance
Starter Hart
Swept the Leafs (regular season)
Swept the Sharks (regular season)
Buffalo almost eliminated
Officially have now embarrassed every California team in the playoffs
You will not read anymore negativity from me moving forward unless we find ourselves in a Cup series with Montreal or Buffalo. This season has delivered considering how bad it looked for most of it. This is now house $$$ to me.
TS
Bravo. Deez! That’s the spirit!
Leonard Wise
Agree mission complete shout out to Hart,Doro,Marner,Theadore,Howden and yes even Eichel. A lot went right to get them here. The coaching change, Hart coming back. Karli coming back was huge for the team. Also, Coglin coming in and playing well. This team seems to get better as a series goes on. Even if they lose to the Avalanche. I won’t complain they accomplished the most with what they had.
JB
I don’t know what our chance is vs the AVs, but I am very proud of this team, no matter what. We are going to the Conference championship game, again! This team has come alive with Wild bill back. Just amazing from where the thought were a month ago!
knights fan in minny
Right on JB
FG
A few thoughts after last night’s win
1. Torts likely the coach next year
2. Dorofyev is going to get paid
3. Theodore dominant, and pulled Coghlan along to VGK’s second best player, and likely made him some cash for next year.
4. Korczak still not progressing as well as he should have with that contract (perhaps moved in the offseason)
5. Fourth line penalties continue, especially Cole Smith and Dowd. That can not continue or that itself can decide the next series.
6. Bottom five forwards are not good, no reason Reilly Smith is not playing, but he may have played his last game as a Golden Knight.
7. Not sure exactly what it means to win the Pacific pillow fight, but about to find out against the Avs.
8. Hart looks like a #1 goalie, and expect Hill to be gone next year.
Richie-Rich
R2 G6 VGK WINS SERIES 4-2!
I kept thinking about the Ducks fan I met on the escalator after G1 who was nearly in tears and told me that the Ducks were going to win the next 4 games straight and eliminate us.
Well, that didn’t happen and I can only imagine him tossing all of his Ducks merch in the trash bin after the thrashing our Knights gave them in G6. Clearly, the Ducks are an improved team but the playoff experience was the series factor in Round 2.
What can we say about Marner? Between the legs goal? Hold my beer he says, I will score a between the legs goal, but I am going to be doing it backwards! There aren’t many VGK goals that stand out in our memories, but those two goals will be embedded in our brains for life.
Let’s also not forget the seeing eye goal from Dorofeyev! A no-look laser that found a hole not much bigger than the puck itself from an almost impossible angle. Truly a display of elite scoring ability.
I am not going to get into the Conference Championship round just yet. But I will make my prediction here.
VGK in 7.
Ice Warrior
Post-game Eichel quote when speaking about Marner: “I feel like he’s had a lot of critics, and I feel like he’s shutting a lot of people up right now, and I’m super happy for him.” And I thought about a few years ago and said, “Just like you, Jack. Just like you.”
TS
Ice, this was possibly the first time Eichel showed genuine emotion, real joy.at the series W. He is usually neutral, which has bothered me since we acquired him.
It’s about time his head AND his heart got in the game!
Frank
Impressive, impressive road win to close out the series on a high note. If we continue to play like that, we will be tough to beat. The Avs certainly have been the better regular season team – and will most certainly be favored to win the series. However, I love how our game keeps progressing, how playoff Mitchy Marner looks and how Doro and Howden are stepping up big time. We beat two young, fast and skilled teams in the Mammoth and the Ducks. We can beat the AVS too – just need to take fewer penalties. My prediction would be VGK in 6 – also throwing in a couple of OT games. Gonna be a close, hard fought series.
Pistol Pete
Like your narrative there Frank!
Larry
My goodness, what a start to the game, my goodness what a goal by Marner, my goodness what a pass by Marner, my goodness what goaltending by Hart, my goodness how special Karlsson is, my goodness the hustle, backchecking and speed of Eichel all game, my goodness what a great team win!
TS
Yesssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!
knights fan in minny
The new king of Las Vegas Mitch Marner playing out of this world Theo had a solid series Hart is dialed in Wild Bill has brought a bite to this offense What a fantastic surprise Coughlin playing well korzak Can be dealt next year for some cap Space Dorfys Price keeps going up and up and up When they traded for Dowd I question that one big time Good face off man Doesn’t take no crap from anybody just a solid veteran playing good
knights fan in minny
You doubters out there Should apologize to Mccrimmy and Shay Theodore for doubting them a good nice 5 day break get the boys rested and healed up
Larry
This coach’s idiocy last night cost us our 2026 second round pick!!!
TS
That penalty is way beyond normal. It’s crap!
Fine the coach for HIS no- show, okay. But to penalize the entire org for it?? Can you say VENDETTA??
The fact is, Vegas’ airport goes dark at midnight. No flights in or out. My son, Frontier Mechanic, surprised me with.that fact recently. The team had legit reason for the early exit from Anaheim!
Larry
This is not the bush leagues, this is a first class organization that has to have contingency plans already in place.
What if there was an injury on ice, what if a bank of lights went out, what if shockingly a playoff game went to overtime, are the boys and all their equipment have to go to Gate 32 and camp out till the morning?? I do believe there are quite a few number of hotels in the Anaheim area lol.
TS
But who wants to have to stay in Quackville??
Tim
Well here we go. Have I not told everyone that the last two years our team was boring and hard to watch. Finally Tort takes over and I think we can all agree that we have a fun team to watch.Torts not the long term answer but boy did management plug him in at the right time. Win or lose with Colorado we’ve seen some exciting hockey.You notice the NHL is making a stink about Tort and others walked off and wouldn’t interview good for them. The reason probably the bullshit 5 minute on McNabb and a game suspension they said F- You which pissed off the NHL After what happened to us in the San Jose series and again in the Duck series I don’t blame them.
knights fan in minny
You have not told us anything How about this hockey team now I’m telling you baseball is boring
TS
Tim, agreed. BAD call here, selective anti- VGK penalty, i believe so.
Bad planning by the team, maybe. But the Pick penalty goes TOO FAR. Fine Torts
.okay.He clearly.pissed off TNT and NHL
NOT the team’s fault!
JB
Toronto fired their coach. Could Butch be in line for that job? He would be a good fit to get those guys in line! (I know the @#$& oilers want him, but Vegas is not giving ok for that)!
KnightWatch
It’s also now official, the Oilers have fired Knoblauch.
Bruce mentioned possibly being interested in coaching a Canadian team.
Obviously there will not be a lack of team interest
(rumor) 3 unofficially so far. Who knows maybe the Wild will add to the list.
We’ll see what happens after the season ends.
Either pay him his 4.5m and grant it or stall till next year and look petty
and worried.
larry
Ive mentioned the perfect win win situation, VGK allows the ^&%^$( oilers the opportunity to discuss the job, and if he takes it,he takes Hill and all the money in his contract north beyond the border.
Jeffrey Sutton
The powers that be at the NHL are such a joke. Remember when they tried forcing everyone in the league to rock gay pride jerseys for warmups and had a meltdown when a couple of Russians flat out refused to wear the clown flag.