Ducks beat slumping Golden Knights 4-3 to sweep season series

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Chris Kreider scored two goals, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and the Anaheim Ducks swept their three-game season series with the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-3 victory on Sunday night.

Cutter Gauthier scored and Ryan Poehling added an empty-net goal for the Ducks. Anaheim earned its eighth victory in 10 games overall despite nearly blowing an early 3-0 lead during a third period dominated by Vegas.

Mitch Marner and Ivan Barbashev scored goals in their third straight games for the Golden Knights, who have lost five straight and seven of eight. Vegas has gone on two five-game skids since Christmas, with an 8-2-0 surge sandwiched between them.

Tomas Hertl scored with 6 seconds to play, and Adin Hill stopped 19 shots for Vegas.

Kreider put Anaheim up 2-0 with his first multigoal game since Nov. 6 for the Ducks, who acquired him last June from the New York Rangers.

He opened the scoring late in the first when a puck from Poehling hit his leg and went in. He tipped home his 19th goal early in the second.

Gauthier scored his 24th goal a few minutes later, beating Hill at the near post for Anaheim's fifth power-play goal in five games.

Marner took advantage of a lucky deflection when Mark Stone's pass from behind the net ricocheted off two Ducks and went straight to him.

Vegas took control in the third period, and Barbashev tapped home a stationary puck in the crease after Dostal couldn't smother Jack Eichel's shot.

Anaheim right wing Troy Terry returned from an 11-game absence with an upper-body injury, and center Mason McTavish also returned after missing five games.

The Ducks had their eighth consecutive sellout as they returned from a five-game road trip to begin a nine-game homestand. Anaheim doesn't play another road game until March 10.

Up next, the Golden Knights host Vancouver on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena. The game airs on The Spot — Vegas 34 and KnightTime+