Last season saw a rarity between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks swept the season series, winning two of the three games in overtime. Yes, I know this sounds bizarre, but it happened. Thanks a lot, Leo Carlsson.
Believe it or not, these losses exposed glaring issues with the Golden Knights. First, they didn't have good goaltending that could work with the defensive structure. Second, there was some underlying tension with then-head coach Bruce Cassidy. Rumors of players tuning him out were swirling around the team, leaving people to believe that Vegas was finished.
The good news? It's a new season and the Ducks have issues of their own. The most obvious is the restricted free agent fiasco that plagues the team. Carlsson nearly went to the Philadelphia Flyers and Cutter Gauthier is still in contract talks. Imagine losing your team's best scorer from last season.
So, you know what time it is, my friend. Let's chart out a gameplan for the Golden Knights to beat the Anaheim Ducks this season. How can they handle a newfound rival and take control of the regular season series?
What will it take for the Vegas Golden Knights to take control of the regular season matchup against the Anaheim Ducks?
Offensive pressure. The Golden Knights must be on the attack constantly against the Ducks and never let up. There's a good reason for this, aside from the obvious age factor in play.
Last season, the Ducks allowed 3.51 team goals per game, 29th in the NHL. They were also tied for 29th in team save percentage at .883, making them one of the easiest teams to score on.
Of course, part of the problem was Lukas Dostal. I know that sounds bizarre to say about a 26-year-old netminder. But when you post a GAA of 3.10 and a save percentage of .888, that doesn't inspire a ton of confidence in your fanbase.
While Dostal should get better for the 2026-27 season, the objective is simple: Cook him in the offensive zone and eat up the zone time. Work and attack the goaltender until he eventually cracks so you can break the game open. That's especially true in the early frame, which is when the Golden Knights struggled the most.
The Golden Knights figured that out during the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, specifically in Game 6. Here, the Golden Knights scored for the cycle, getting an even-strength goal, a shorthanded goal, and a power play goal each in the first period. Leading the charge? None other than Mitch Marner, who scored a goal and got a shorthanded assist in that period.
What's more is that Marner took over that series, scoring five goals and six assists. He shattered the notion that he wasn't a playoff performer (despite Maple Leafs fans CONTINUING to move the goalposts), doing it against a pesky Ducks team. Watch for Marner to carry that same energy into this season's matchup as he eyes more goals and assists.
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