Barbashev’s Late Strike Lifts Golden Knights Over Ducks in Game 1
Golden Knights vs Ducks Game 1 score 2026
Ivan Barbashev delivered a clutch third-period goal on Monday night, May 4, 2026, to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the opening game of their second-round playoff series. In a tightly contested battle at T-Mobile Arena, Barbashev capitalized on a precise pass from Pavel Dorofeyev with just 4:58 remaining in regulation to break a 1-1 deadlock and put the Golden Knights ahead for good.
The goal followed a controversial sequence where Anaheim head coach Joel Quenneville was seen arguing for an icing call that was ultimately waved off by officials. According to official reports from the Associated Press, the victory gives Vegas a 1-0 lead in the series, with Game 2 scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
The evening was highlighted by the emotional return of Golden Knights center William Karlsson, who had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since November 8. Karlsson received a thunderous ovation from the home crowd upon his first shift, providing a visible boost to a Vegas squad that struggled to find its rhythm early in the game.
Despite being outshot 11-6 in the first period, the Golden Knights struck first in the second frame when Brett Howden extended his goal-scoring streak to a career-long four games. As reported by CBS Sports, new acquisition Mitch Marner assisted on the Howden goal before sealing the win himself with a 162-foot empty-net tally in the final six seconds of play.
Anaheim’s lone goal came from Mikael Granlund, who finished a play set up by Jackson LaCombe to temporarily tie the game in the third period. While the Ducks dominated long stretches of puck possession, they were unable to solve Vegas goaltender Carter Hart, who made 33 saves to secure the win.
The Golden Knights’ special teams also played a pivotal role, successfully killing all four Anaheim power plays to maintain their elite 95% penalty-kill rate in the postseason. Google Sports Data indicates that while the Ducks won all three regular-season matchups against Vegas, the veteran experience of the Golden Knights’ core—led by two-time champion Barbashev—proved to be the deciding factor in the high-pressure environment of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
