Anaheim Ducks Suffer Lopsided Defeat in Game 3 of Western Conference Second Round The Anaheim Ducks faced a crushing setback in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, falling 6-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights at Honda Center on Friday. The loss marked the Ducks’ most lopsided postseason defeat of the season and their worst since a 8-1 drubbing in Game 3 of their 2018 first-round series against the San Jose Sharks. The defeat left the Ducks trailing 3-1 in the best-of-7 series, forcing them to regroup quickly for Game 4. The Golden Knights seized control of the game from the outset, capitalizing on the Ducks’ slow start. Defenseman Shea Theodore opened the scoring just 1 minute and 6 seconds into the first period, sending a wave of energy through the crowd. A short-handed goal by defenseman Brayden McNabb at 12:13 of the first period erased any momentum the Ducks might have built, and a power-play goal by Mitch Marner at 19:55 sealed the first-period dominance for Vegas. Marner’s tally was his third of the game, further widening the gap. Goalie Lukas Dostal, who had struggled with early-game goals this season, faced immediate pressure. The Golden Knights scored on his first shot of the game, marking the 13th time this season Dostal had allowed a goal on the first shot he faced. After making five saves in the first period, Dostal was replaced by Ville Husso for the second period. Quenneville hinted that Dostal’s status as the Game 4 starter was uncertain, citing his lackluster performance. Ducks forward Alex Killorn acknowledged the team’s mistakes, calling them “not typical of our team.” He praised the Golden Knights’ execution, noting that their early pressure and opportunistic play made it difficult for Anaheim to recover.#anaheim_ducks #vegas_golden_knights #mitch_marner #shea_theodore #brayden_mcnabb
Golden Knights' Tortorella Calls Out Marner Critics Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella publicly dismissed critics of forward Mitch Marner after the player delivered a standout performance in Game 3 of the second-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks. Marner scored three consecutive goals, marking his first career playoff hat trick, and Tortorella used the opportunity to challenge the narrative that the Toronto native struggles in high-stakes games. Speaking to reporters following the victory, Tortorella criticized the media and fans who have historically questioned Marner’s playoff contributions. “You guys don’t see the stuff he does,” he said. “People here, people in Toronto, all the people that talk about this guy, they don’t see any of the things that he brings to a game even if he doesn’t score a goal. I’ve known that coaching against him.” Tortorella emphasized that Marner’s value extends beyond scoring, calling him “a terrific player, one of the top players in this league and he plays for us.” The comments came after Marner led the NHL in playoff scoring with 13 points (six goals and seven assists) in nine games for the Golden Knights, a stark contrast to his previous career. During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Marner accumulated 63 points in 70 playoff games over nine seasons but faced persistent criticism for the team’s inability to advance past the second round. Tortorella’s remarks directly addressed this skepticism, framing Marner’s performance as a rebuttal to those who doubted his ability to thrive in the postseason. Marner’s impact was evident in Game 3, where his offensive output helped the Golden Knights secure a 4-2 victory over the Ducks, extending their series lead to 2-1.#anaheim_ducks #toronto_maple_leafs #vegas_golden_knights #john_tortorella #mitch_marner
