Barbashev Late Goal Lifts Golden Knights Past Ducks in Controversial Game 1 Victory.

Ivan Barbashev capitalized on a controversial sequence late in the third period, scoring the go-ahead goal to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Monday night in Las Vegas. The decisive moment came with 4:58 remaining, when officials waved off a potential icing call against Vegas. With play continuing, Barbashev stayed engaged, ultimately finishing a setup from Pavel Dorofeyev to give the Golden Knights a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The no-call drew clear frustration from Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, who said he disagreed with the decision and didn’t receive an explanation from officials. Anaheim players appeared to ease up on the play, expecting a whistle that never came. Barbashev said he simply reacted to the situation, noticing Jack Eichel applying pressure on Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe, which led to a turnover and Dorofeyev’s assist. Vegas head coach John Tortorella admitted he didn’t have a clear view of the play but credited his team for staying active through the sequence. Brett Howden opened the scoring for Vegas early in the second period, extending his goal streak to four games. Mitch Marner assisted on that goal and later sealed the win with a long-range empty-netter in the final seconds. Goaltender Carter Hart made 33 saves to anchor the victory. Anaheim’s Mikael Granlund tied the game midway through the third period after a strong setup from LaCombe, who redeemed himself following an earlier missed opportunity when he passed up an open net. Despite being outshot 34-22, Vegas found a way to prevail, something Tortorella acknowledged postgame.

The Golden Knights’ penalty kill remained a key factor, successfully shutting down all four Ducks power-play chances and extending their streak to 14 consecutive kills. Vegas also welcomed back William Karlsson, who had been sidelined since November with a lower-body injury. His return energized the home crowd early in the game. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Wednesday night in Las Vegas.