Ducks beat Golden Knights 3-1 and send series back to Anaheim at 1-1

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson and Jansen Harkins scored, Lukas Dostal came 5.6 seconds from his first career playoff shutout and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 on Wednesday night to even their series at a game apiece.

The Ducks head home with the chance to grab hold of the best-of-seven second-round NHL playoff series, with Game 3 on Friday night. Vegas hopes to pull off a repeat of its first-round series when the Golden Knights went to Utah at 1-1 before winning in six games.

“That's not our tradition of playing that type of game, a low-scoring affair,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “I think we've had some stretches over the course of the season, particularly late. This is the only way you're going to be successful in playoffs is you've got to win games like tonight. It's going to take everybody to play these types of games, and I thought everybody contributed.”

Sennecke, a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy that goes to the league's top rookie, became the fourth Ducks player 20 or younger to score multiple goals in a postseason.

Dostal saved 21 shots and nearly had his third career shutout, including regular-season play, before Mark Stone scored a power-play goal in the closing seconds.

“I always say it doesn't matter how you win or what the score is," Dostal said. "(A shutout) obviously is the cherry on the top. It doesn't really matter. We got a ‘W’ and that's all we really focus on."

Carter Hart made 25 saves for the Golden Knights. Brett Howden's four-game goal streak ended, as did Ivan Barbarshev's seven-game point streak.

The Golden Knights' penalty kill gave them a chance. They killed all five penalties, including a stretch of 6:19 in the first period in which the Golden Knights took four penalties, including a double minor by Jack Eichel for high sticking. Vegas has killed off 19 straight penalties this postseason and is 24 of 25 overall.

Though Golden Knights coach John Tortorella had no complaints about the PK, he wasn't thrilled to begin the game with so many trips to the penalty box.

“It screws us up,” Tortorella said. “We wanted to try to get a good start and we're sitting in the box. I think that affects things as you're trying to get through that first period, but the penalty kill has been fantastic and that was a key part of the game. We just couldn't make it stand.”

But offense again was at a premium for Vegas, and Tortorella adjusted his lines to try to find some life. Stone moved to the top line, William Karlsson shifted to the second and Pavel Dorofeyev dropped to the third.

Quenneville found some magic by moving Cutter Gauthier up to the second line with Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn. That group had 20 scoring chances to one for Vegas after two periods, according to Natural Stat Trick. They finished with a 23-5 advantage.

Quenneville also took forward Mason McTavish, who had a goal and three assists in the six-game first-round victory over Edmonton, out of the lineup. He failed to score on two shots in the opener of this series.

The Ducks broke through in the second period, controlling play for about six minutes as Vegas struggled to keep the puck out of its zone. Then finally it was too much, Jeffrey Viel passing from below the goal line to Sennecke, camped out in front of the net for the 1-0 lead with 8:37 left in the period.

Troy Terry's backhand pass to Carlsson at 6:36 of the third period made it 2-0 for the Ducks. Harkins added an empty-net goal with 3:30 remaining.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) celebrates after the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) attempts to stop a shot by the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) skates against Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) and Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the first period of Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) stops a shot near Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) during the first period of Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) celebrates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs handed Minnesota its worst postseason loss in franchise history, beating the Timberwolves 133-95 on Wednesday night to even their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

“I just told them we got punked,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.

Stephon Castle had 21 points and De'Aaron Fox added 16 points for San Antonio, which shot 50% from the field and 41% on 3-pointers. It was the highest-scoring playoff game for the Spurs since a series-clinching 145-105 win over Denver on May 4, 1983.

Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each scored 12 points for Minnesota.

Edwards came off the bench again as Minnesota continued to restrict his minutes in his second game back from a hyperextended left knee.

Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday in Minneapolis.

With Wembanyama playing more aggressively on offense from the outset, the Spurs put the series-opening loss behind them quickly.

Minnesota's previous largest postseason defeat was by 30 points to the Los Angeles Lakers on April 29, 2003.

Only the margin of victory was in doubt Monday as both teams sent their starters to the bench with 10 minutes remaining and the Spurs leading 104-66.

“I told the guys after the first game it’s the natural tendency for the team that steals the first game, the away team, to get blown out in Game 2," Edwards said. “We can’t come out cool and we came out cool and what happened — we got blown out.”

After combining to score 21 points on 10-for-31 shooting in Game 1, Wembanyama and Fox combined to go 12 of 25 from the field Wednesday.

The All-Star duo scored the Spurs' first 11 points as they raced to a 29-point lead in the first half.

“Just trying to set the tone,” Wembanyama said.

Fox finished 2 for 2 on 3-pointers after missing on four attempts in Game 1.

“We’re at our best when (Fox is) in attack mode,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnnson said. “He has probably the strongest ripple effect on our team in terms of when he’s in attack mode pushing the pace, because you have Steph (Castle) and Dylan (Harper) that follow suit with that. And then our shooters get shot in transition. Victor plays in space and so on and so forth.”

The Spurs missed their first three shots, but Wembanyama followed the third attempt by flying through the lane and throwing down a right-handed dunk to open the scoring.

Minnesota was held to 35 points in the first half. The Timberwolves shot 29.8% from the field before halftime and were 2 for 15 on 3-pointers as they fell behind by 25 points.

“I loved how everyone had everybody’s back (defensively),” Wembanyama said. “Tonight looked like a system that worked.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a play during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) is blocked by fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a play during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)