After going toe-to-toe with one another in the Pacific Division and finishing the regular season separated by only three points in the standings, the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights renew their rivalry in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Whoever emerges from this series will advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they'll face the winner of the Colorado Avalanche vs. the Minnesota Wild.

Anaheim knocked off the two-time Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2026 Playoffs. Despite a 4-3 loss in Game One, the Ducks outscored the Oilers 23-17 the rest of the way for the franchise’s first postseason series win in nine years.

“It's a huge win. I'm happy for the players, happy for our fans, and now we got a taste of playoff hockey,” head coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after the Game Six victory. “And I think we can feel at this moment that it’s so much fun playing games that have meaning, and the building being as loud and excited as it is. And then it seems to grow from this level on. Now we get to experience another round. I think this is healthy for us.”

Unlike the Ducks, the Golden Knights are very familiar with postseason winning. Vegas' 5-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth was the team's 38th since the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Only the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers have more playoff wins during that stretch.

“The thing I love about the team is they just kept their head down through the momentum swings on a really good hockey team we were playing against,” explained interim head coach John Tortorella after the series-clinching win, “a very well-coached hockey team and just found our way.”

Though Anaheim swept the season series against Vegas, all of those matchups were decided by just one goal. More importantly, these teams haven't gone head-to-head since February 1st, and they've both changed a lot since then. This is especially true for the Knights, who are playing much better ever since firing former head coach Bruce Cassidy on March 29th.

“It looks like they’ve got a little more pace,” Joel Quenneville said of Vegas during a media availability session on Sunday. “They look like they’re playing well. They had a good series. They had a good run at the end of the year as well. They’ve got the momentum, going right now.”

The good news for Vegas is that the matchup with Utah has prepared them for this series against Anaheim. Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said that the Mammoth and Ducks have similar speed and skill levels.

“I thought that Utah's transition, speed, pace, was really elite, and I think Anaheim plays high-event hockey,” he said on May 3rd. “They've got a lot of talent, young talent, and I think that there'll be some similarities. The things that were important for us against Utah will be that way against Anaheim as well.”

Prediction for Anaheim Ducks (+165) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-200)

There is a significant talent disparity between these squads, especially from a goal-scoring perspective. Vegas had six guys on the roster who scored at least 20 goals this season, while Anaheim only had four. The Golden Knights have also had a more diversified offense in the playoffs, with nine players having scored at least two goals compared to just seven for the Ducks.

The goaltending battle favors Vegas as well. The Golden Knights have a better save percentage than the Ducks (.892 vs. .876) and allow fewer goals per game (3.00 vs. 3.50). Not only does Anaheim have the lowest save percentage of any team in the postseason, but their save percentage is the lowest of any team that has participated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the last five years! Their goaltending is not suddenly going to improve against a Vegas squad that ranks fourth in goals per game during the 2026 postseason (3.83).

The Golden Knights have more talent on the ice and a better goaltender at the moment. On top of all that, there's a possibility that Vegas gets back top-six forward William Karlsson, who hasn't played since November. Adding him to the mix will give the Golden Knights another talented player for the Ducks to worry about. Vegas' experience in the playoffs and its top-heavy roster will overwhelm Anaheim.

Prediction: Golden Knights win the series 4-2

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