Vegas opened their NHL Playoffs with a tidy 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Paradise, NV, leaning on sharp goaltending and timely finishing. Carter Hart turned away 33 of 34 shots, while goals from Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev set the tone before Mitch Marner iced it late into the empty net.

Hart headlines with 33 saves

The Ducks generated 34 shots on goal and carried the puck for long stretches, but Hart was a wall. He posted a 0.971 save percentage, stopping 28 of 29 at even strength and going 5 for 5 on the penalty kill. It was the kind of locked-in postseason performance that earns a First Star, and it did.

Vegas blocked 16 shots in front of him, with Shea Theodore getting in front of five and Brayden McNabb adding three. That mix of structure and shot-stopping kept Anaheim at one goal despite their pressure.

How the goals happened

Vegas struck first in the second period when Brett Howden finished at even strength, assisted by Rasmus Andersson and Mitch Marner. Anaheim finally broke through in the third as Mikael Granlund tied it, with John Carlson and Jackson LaCombe supplying the feeds.

The response was instant. Ivan Barbashev pushed Vegas back in front minutes later from a Pavel Dorofeyev setup. With Anaheim’s net empty in the final seconds, Marner sealed Game 1 with the clincher.

Ducks win the shot count, Knights win the game

Anaheim owned the volume battle and the advanced shot share (Corsi 58.8%, Fenwick 58.7%). They also out-hit Vegas 37-26 and fired from closer range on average (10.5 feet to 14.6). The difference was finishing and defending in the slot.

Vegas converted 16% of their even-strength shots compared to Anaheim’s 3%, and they owned the takeaway tally 8-2. Faceoffs were essentially even, with Vegas a notch ahead at 50% (29 of 57). Both power plays stalled at 0% on the night (Golden Knights 0/2, Ducks 0/4).

Notable performers and the Game 1 tone

Mitch Marner posted 1 goal and 1 assist, adding the empty-netter and the primary assist on Howden’s opener. Howden dominated the dots at 81.8% on faceoffs, while Jack Eichel went 63.6%. On the blue line, Theodore’s five blocks were vital, and McNabb landed five hits.

For Anaheim, Granlund scored their lone goal, with Carlson and LaCombe on helpers. Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry led with four shots each, and Tim Washe won 69.2% of his faceoffs. Lukas Dostal stopped 19 of 21 for a 0.905 save percentage.

With the victory, Vegas takes a 1-0 series lead in the NHL Playoffs in front of 17,838 at T‑Mobile Arena. For live scores, the full box score, advanced metrics and each player’s Sofascore Rating, you can always follow the action on Sofascore.