Ducks’ 3-goal barrage in 2nd leads to 4-3 win over Vegas

By Greg Beacham, Associated Press

Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 | 10:03 p.m.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Cam Fowler had a goal and an assist while the Anaheim Ducks scored three goals in 1:37 midway through the second period of a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.

Adam Henrique and Max Comtois also scored and Jakob Silfverberg had two assists during the decisive barrage by the Ducks in both Pacific Division clubs' first game back from the Christmas break. Anaheim trailed 1-0 before capitalizing on a two-man advantage and the ensuing momentum to match the third-fastest three-goal spree in franchise history.

Devin Shore added a third-period goal and John Gibson made 26 saves for the Ducks, who beat Vegas for just the second time in 10 meetings since the Golden Knights joined the NHL in 2017.

Nate Schmidt had two goals, Jonathan Marchessault also scored and Malcolm Subban stopped 14 shots for the Golden Knights, who had never lost in four previous trips to Honda Center along with their healthy contingent of traveling fans.

Schmidt scored twice in the final 1:52. After snapping his personal 21-game goal drought, the defenseman added his second with 5.7 seconds left — too late to stop first-place Vegas from losing two straight in regulation for the first time since Nov. 25.

After a scoreless first period, William Karlsson took advantage of a defensive mistake and sprung Marchessault for an unimpeded breakaway. His shot slipped barely inside the top corner above Gibson's glove hand and rattled home for his 13th goal of the season.

The Ducks' offense awoke during a two-man advantage for 46 seconds in the second period. Henrique scored late in the 5-on-3 sequence, and Fowler ripped home a power-play goal 83 seconds later.

Just 14 seconds after that, the 20-year-old Comtois made an exceptional play in front of the net to tip a long shot by Jacob Larsson for his sixth career NHL goal.

Shore's goal gave him 100 career points.