National Hockey League
Anaheim 5, Vegas 2
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Referees: Jake Brenk, Graham Skilliter
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Ben O'Quinn
Attendance: 16000

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

Top Game Performances
 
Vegas   Anaheim
Alec Martinez 1 Points Mason McTavish 3
Alec Martinez 1 Goals Brett Leason 2
Paul Cotter 1 Assists Mason McTavish 3
Mark Stone 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Logan Thompson .808 Save Percentage John Gibson .938
Logan Thompson 21 Saves John Gibson 30
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Vegas 32 2 1-5 1-1 2 26
Anaheim 26 5 0-1 4-5 10 22
Upcoming Games
  • Anaheim will play their next game at home against Arizona. The Ducks have a W/L % of .583 after a win and .273 after a loss.
  • Vegas will play their next game at home against Los Angeles. The Golden Knights have a W/L % of .636 after a win and .500 after a loss.