Vegas eliminates Ducks in Game 6

The Vegas Golden Knights closed out the Anaheim Ducks with a 5-1 win in Game 6 on Thursday at Honda Center, sending Vegas to the Western Conference Final. NHL.com said Vegas scored three times in the first period and finished the second-round series in six games. (nhl.com) The Golden Knights will play the Colorado Avalanche next after Colorado advanced on the other side of the bracket. Game 1 of that best-of-seven series is scheduled for Wednesday in Denver. ### How quickly did Vegas take control in Game 6? Mitch Marner put Vegas ahead 1-0 at 1:02 of the first period, scoring on the Golden Knights’ first shot of the game after taking a stretch pass from William Karlsson. (nhl.com) NHL.com said Marner slowed near the crease, let Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe skate past him, then pulled the puck through his legs and across the goal line. Brett Howden made it 2-0 at 8:30 with a short-handed goal on Anaheim’s first power play. NHL.com said Marner carried the puck out of the Vegas end and found Howden behind the Ducks’ coverage for a one-timer from the right hash marks. (nhl.com) ### What did the first period tell the Ducks about the night? Vegas led 3-0 after one period, a margin that set the tone for the elimination game, according to NHL.com’s recap. Ducks forward Mikael Granlund said after the loss, “I kind of feel like tonight was the story of the season,” adding that Anaheim had come back during the regular season but that “in the playoffs, it’s not easy.” (nhl.com) Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said the Ducks “didn’t put ourselves in a good spot” after the early mistake on Marner’s opening goal. He added that “it’s a tough comeback against a team that knows how to play hockey,” according to NHL.com. (nhl.com) ### Who finished the scoring for Vegas? Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice in the third period, and Shea Theodore added a goal and an assist for Vegas, NHL.com said. Marner also finished with a goal and an assist as the top-seeded Golden Knights closed the series. Carter Hart made 31 saves for Vegas, while Lukas Dostal stopped 16 shots for Anaheim. (nhl.com) Granlund scored the Ducks’ only goal in the loss. ### What does this series win mean for Vegas’ playoff run? The Golden Knights advanced to the third round for the fourth time in the past seven seasons, according to NHL.com. (nhl.com) The league’s playoff schedule page lists Vegas as the winner of the second-round series, 4-2 over Anaheim. Marner said the Golden Knights had “worked extremely hard for all these little goals” they set during the season. He said the team would use the short break to “refuel and refresh” before the next round, according to NHL.com. (nhl.com) ### When and where is the next series? (nhl.com) The NHL schedule lists Game 1 of the Western Conference Final as Golden Knights at Avalanche on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. NHL.com’s Game 6 recap said the opener will be played at Ball Arena in Denver and televised by ESPN, with Canadian coverage on SN, TVAS and CBC. Colorado awaits Vegas after advancing out of the other Western Conference semifinal. (nhl.com) The Golden Knights enter that series after winning three of the last four games against Anaheim to close the Ducks out in six.