After a lopsided 6-2 loss in Game 3, the Anaheim Ducks returned home for Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, with Vegas holding a 2-1 series lead. Facing the prospect of a 3-1 deficit heading back to Vegas, the Ducks made key lineup adjustments, bringing back Mason McTavish on the left wing alongside Ryan Poehling and Cutter Gauthier. Defenseman Drew Helleson was ruled out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, prompting head coach Joel Quenneville to insert Ian Moore into the bottom pair alongside Olen Zellweger for his first action since April 1, while Zellweger made his playoff debut after last playing April 7. Vegas captain Mark Stone was sidelined after exiting Game 3 with a lower-body injury, replaced by Brandon Saad as coach John Tortorella reworked his lineup.
Here is how the Ducks started: Kreider-Carlsson-Terry; Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke; Gauthier-Poehling-McTavish; Johnston-Washe-Viel. On defense: LaCombe-Trouba; Mintyukov-Carlson; Zellweger-Moore. Lukas Dostal returned to goal after being pulled early in Game 3, stopping 18 of 21 shots. Carter Hart was back in net for Vegas, saving 19 of 23.
The Ducks came out more prepared than in Game 3, with neither team dominating early at 5-on-5. Playoff intensity was evident, with Vegas aggressively targeting Anaheim’s young stars like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke. However, the Ducks answered physically and made Vegas pay where it mattered most: the scoreboard. Anaheim’s power play, which had gone 0-for-11 through three games, converted two of four opportunities and proved decisive. “Both teams played hard. That was a man’s game out there today,” Quenneville said. “We worked hard. We did a lot of good things. A little dangerous at the end, but a lot of positives.”
**Cycle:** While goaltending and defensive structure were uneven in Game 3, the Ducks showed vastly improved offensive creativity. They varied their attacks, with defensemen more active in the offensive zone, attacking downhill and finding seams rather than just funneling pucks. They carried pucks to dangerous areas and made precise cuts to create scoring chances.
**Ian Moore/Olen Zellweger:** Despite limited ice time and sheltered minutes, the bottom pair injected needed dynamism from the blue line. Zellweger was aggressive from the start, joining rushes and activating whenever the opportunity arose, helping break down Vegas’ solid defensive structure.
