Ducks hand Golden Knights 4th straight loss

Field Level Media|published: Thu 28th December, 24:51 2023

Dec 27, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks celebrate the goal scored by right wing Brett Leason (20) against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at Honda Center. credits: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Brett Leason scored two goals, including the first of four in the game's opening 12 1/2 minutes, and the Anaheim Ducks earned a 5-2 victory Wednesday over the visiting Vegas Golden Knights, who are on a season-long four-game losing streak.

Jamie Drysdale, Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry also scored goals in the first period as the Ducks won for just the fourth time in their past 19 games while improving to 2-1-0 against the defending champions this season. Mason McTavish had three assists.

It was Anaheim's highest-scoring first period of the season and matched their high for any period after a four-goal effort in the third period Nov. 5 against Vegas.

John Gibson had 30 saves for Anaheim after missing the final three games before the holiday break after the birth of his child.

Alec Martinez and Mark Stone scored goals for the Golden Knights, who have dropped five of their past six games. Logan Thompson made 21 saves for Vegas, who have allowed at least four goals in seven of the last eight games.

Leason gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 3:23 of the opening period when he deflected a Cam Fowler shot past Thompson.

McTavish set up the next two Ducks goals, helping Drysdale to his first of the season — and first since March of 2022 — at 8:23 of the opening period and squeezing a backhand pass to Vatrano for his third at the 11:38 mark. Terry scored 40 seconds later, his ninth, for a 4-0 lead.

The Golden Knights got a goal back at 7:23 of the second period when Martinez scored past Gibson from the edge of the left circle, his fourth.

Stone pulled Vegas within 4-2 on the power play at 12:34 of the second period to tally a point in eight consecutive road games. Stone also has a point in nine of the last 10 games overall (five goals, 10 assists).

Leason scored his sixth of the season at 17:45 of the second period off a long rebound from a McTavish shot that was saved by Thompson.

The Ducks were without defenseman Radko Gudas (lower body) for a second consecutive game.

—Field Level Media

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