LAS VEGAS — Vegas Golden Knights are now one win away from returning to the Western Conference Final. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his second goal of the night 4:10 into overtime Tuesday as Vegas defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in a dramatic Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights now hold a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 Thursday night in Anaheim. After Vegas survived a late Ducks rally in regulation, Dorofeyev ended it in overtime off a setup from Jack Eichel. Dorofeyev also scored earlier in the first period on the power play, continuing his breakout postseason.
Hertl Staying Hot
Tomas Hertl added another key goal for Vegas after finally ending a lengthy scoring drought earlier in the series. Hertl had gone 29 games dating back to the regular season without a goal before scoring in consecutive playoff games.
He also recorded the primary assist on Dorofeyev’s first-period goal. Eichel finished with two assists, while goalie Carter Hart made 34 saves.
Ducks Force Overtime Late
Anaheim refused to go away. Rookie sensation Beckett Sennecke extended his playoff goal streak to four games with a power-play tally in the first period.
Then defenseman Olen Zellweger scored his first career playoff goal with just 3:05 remaining in regulation to tie the game 2-2 and stun the Vegas crowd. Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for Anaheim.
McNabb Ejected After Big Hit
The game also featured a major turning point midway through the first period when Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb delivered a heavy hit that sent Ducks center Ryan Poehling hard into the boards.
McNabb received:
- A five-minute major for interference
- A game misconduct
The ejection forced Vegas to play without one of its top defensemen for most of the night.
Golden Knights Eye Return to Final Four
The Vegas Golden Knights are now positioned to reach the Western Conference Final for the first time since their 2023 Stanley Cup championship run.
Meanwhile, the upstart Ducks back in the playoffs for the first time in eight years will try to extend their surprising postseason Thursday night at home.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
