Honda Center — Anaheim, California
Takeaway: Vegas leads the series 3–2 and has its first chance to close out Anaheim. The Ducks return home needing a response after dropping Game 5 in Vegas. This series has been defined by violent momentum swings, elite goaltending stretches, and special‑teams volatility. Game 6 projects to be the most physical and defensively structured matchup yet, with Anaheim fighting to extend its season and Vegas aiming to avoid a dangerous Game 7.
Venue & Game Context
Honda Center — Anaheim, CA
- Capacity: ~17,200
- Ice profile: Slightly slower sheet, favors cycle-heavy teams
- Home-ice advantage: Anaheim has been strong at home all season, especially in low-scoring games
- Crowd: Expect a loud, desperate, playoff atmosphere with Anaheim facing elimination
Puck Drop: Thursday, May 14, 2026 — 7:30 PM PT Broadcast: TNT, Sportsnet, ESPN+
Injury Report
Vegas Golden Knights
- Jack Eichel — C — Day-to-day (upper body) Expected to play; workload may be monitored.
- Shea Theodore — D — Out (knee) Missed entire series; Vegas’ blue line depth has held but misses his puck movement.
- William Carrier — LW — Day-to-day (illness) Game-time decision; impacts fourth-line forecheck.
Anaheim Ducks
- Leo Carlsson — C — Day-to-day (lower body) Trending toward playing; Anaheim desperately needs his transition speed.
- Pavel Mintyukov — D — Out (shoulder) Major loss for Anaheim’s breakout structure.
- John Gibson — G — Healthy Expected starter; workload has been heavy but performance strong.
Team Records & Recent Form
Vegas Golden Knights
- Series: 3–2
- Last 10 games: 7–3
- Road record this season: 20–17–4
- Series goals: 15 GF / 13 GA
- Trend: Strong defensive structure in Games 4–5; PP heating up (3-for-8 last two games)
Anaheim Ducks
- Series: 2–3
- Last 10 games: 5–5
- Home record this season: 22–16–3
- Series goals: 13 GF / 15 GA
- Trend: Scoring drying up; PK struggling (68% in series)
Series Game-by-Game Breakdown
| Game | Result | Key Storyline |
| Game 1 (VGK 4–1) | Vegas dominates special teams; Eichel 3 points | |
| Game 2 (ANA 3–2 OT) | Ducks steal one; Gibson spectacular | |
| Game 3 (ANA 4–2) | Anaheim forecheck overwhelms Vegas | |
| Game 4 (VGK 3–1) | Vegas clamps down defensively; Hill sharp | |
| Game 5 (VGK 5–3) | Vegas power play breaks through; Ducks chase game |
Momentum: Vegas, but Anaheim has responded every time it’s been pushed.
Projected Goaltending Matchup
Vegas — Adin Hill
- Series stats: .918 SV%, 2.60 GAA
- Strengths: Calm positioning, excellent rebound control
- Weakness: Traffic-heavy screens
Anaheim — John Gibson
- Series stats: .909 SV%, 2.98 GAA
- Strengths: High-danger save ability, athleticism
- Weakness: Vegas’ east-west puck movement
Edge: Slightly Vegas — Hill has been more consistent.
Key Player Matchups
1. Jack Eichel (VGK) vs. Mason McTavish (ANA)
- Eichel: 3G, 4A in series; driving Vegas’ offense
- McTavish: 2G, 2A; Anaheim’s most reliable forward Impact: Whoever controls the middle of the ice dictates tempo.
2. Mark Stone (VGK) vs. Troy Terry (ANA)
- Stone’s two-way dominance has tilted the series
- Terry has been limited to perimeter chances Impact: Anaheim needs Terry to break through to extend the series.
3. Vegas Forecheck vs. Anaheim Defensive Depth
- Ducks missing Mintyukov has exposed their second pair
- Vegas has forced 11+ turnovers in each of the last two games Impact: This is the tactical mismatch Anaheim must solve.
4. Special Teams
- VGK PP: 5-for-18 (27.8%)
- ANA PP: 3-for-17 (17.6%)
- VGK PK: 82%
- ANA PK: 68% Edge: Vegas — and it’s been decisive.
Series History
- Season series: Vegas won 3–1
- Last 10 meetings: Vegas leads 8–2
- Playoff history: Rare matchup; Vegas has historically dominated Anaheim
- Anaheim has lost 6 of last 7 home playoff games vs. Vegas
Betting Trends
Vegas
- 6–2 in last 8 playoff games
- 5–1 in last 6 vs. Anaheim
- Over is 4–1 in this series
Anaheim
- 4–10 in last 14 playoff games
- 2–5 in last 7 home games
- Under is 6–3 in last 9 home games
Series Trends
- Vegas has outshot Anaheim in 4 of 5 games
- Ducks have scored first in only 1 game
- Vegas’ expected goals (xG) advantage has grown each game
Game Odds
Vegas Golden Knights – 112
Anaheim Ducks 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, May 13, 2026
