Vegas vs Anaheim Prediction 3 October 2026
🔊 These teams clashed in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs just this past spring, and now they cross paths again early in the new campaign. Vegas have already played their season opener, putting five goals past Chicago. Anaheim are only kicking off their season, coming off a tough end to preseason-Ducks conceded six goals to Los Angeles in their final warm-up. There’s also some unfinished business between these sides: Anaheim took three wins over the Golden Knights in last year’s regular season, but it was Vegas who advanced further in the playoffs.
Everything changed in the spring.
📊 During the regular season, Anaheim swept all three games. Across those matchups, the teams combined for 19 goals. But the script flipped in the playoffs. Vegas have taken four out of six games, failing to score at least three goals just once in the entire series. The most recent clash saw the Golden Knights cruise to a 5-1 victory, with Carter Hart stopping 31 of 32 shots.
Head-to-head statistics Vegas - Anaheim
Five goals to kick things off
Ryan Craig’s debut as head coach ended on a high note, as Vegas cruised past Chicago with a 5-2 victory, outshooting their opponents 37-26. Jack Eichel kicked off the season with a three-point performance, Mark Stone got on the scoresheet as well, and Trevor Connelly marked his NHL debut by scoring his first career goal.
Over the summer, the Golden Knights parted ways with Pavel Dorofeyev, last season’s leading goal scorer in the regular campaign. Among the new faces is Victor Olofsson, and the Swedish forward wasted no time finding the net-he broke the deadlock against Chicago with a power-play goal. Even before the regular season began, Vegas showed strong form by winning three of their four preseason games.
Match Results: Vegas Golden Knights
The defense has been rebuilt from the ground up.
After advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup, Anaheim were forced into a significant defensive overhaul. The team parted ways with John Carlson, Radko Gudas, Olen Zellweger, and Jacob Trouba. That means more responsibility now falls on Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov, while Tristan Luneau has earned a shot to secure a permanent NHL spot. Ahead of the new season, the Ducks handed the 22-year-old blueliner a six-year contract extension set to kick in from the 2027/28 campaign.
The revamped defense faced a tough start in preseason. Anaheim dropped three out of four exhibition games, conceding an average of five goals per outing. Their latest opponent was Los Angeles, who handed them a 6-2 defeat. Lukas Dostal managed to stop just 14 of 20 shots in that contest. To make matters worse, the Ducks will open the regular season without Troy Terry, who is sidelined for at least the first month due to a hip injury.
Match Results: Anaheim Ducks
⚡️ Key Players
Jack Eichel wasted no time climbing to the top of Vegas’ scoring chart, notching a goal and two assists in the season opener. Defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore also made their mark, each tallying two assists to kick off their campaigns.
Anaheim have yet to play an official game this season, so last year’s stats remain the benchmark. Cutter Gauthier led the Ducks with 69 points in 76 games, finishing as the team’s top goal scorer with 41 goals. Leo Carlsson wrapped up the campaign with 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists), while Beckett Sennecke contributed 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists).
🥅 Goaltenders
Carter Hart opened his season with a win, turning aside 24 of 26 shots against Chicago for a .923 save percentage and a 2.00 goals-against average. He knows Anaheim well too-Hart stopped 31 of 32 shots in their most recent playoff clash.
Lukas Dostal featured in 56 regular-season games last year, recording 30 wins with an .888 save percentage and a 3.10 goals-against average. Ville Husso appeared in 20 games, picked up 10 wins, and finished the season with an .884 save percentage and a 3.25 GAA.
⭐️ Editor’s Prediction
Last regular season, these two sides played out the exact same scoreline in three consecutive meetings, combining for 19 goals across those games-an average of 6.3 per contest. In the spring, Vegas managed to score at least three times in five of their six playoff clashes with Anaheim. The Golden Knights have also kicked off the new campaign in prolific fashion, putting five past Chicago. Meanwhile, the Ducks wrapped up their preseason with three defeats in four outings, conceding an average of five goals per game. Given both teams’ recent trends, we’re backing another high-scoring affair here. Our pick: over 5.5 total goals.
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Betting Tips: Vegas Golden Knights - Anaheim Ducks
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