Marner's first playoff hat trick propels Golden Knights to 6-2 rout of Ducks and 2-1 series lead

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mitch Marner had three goals and an assist in his first career playoff hat trick, and the Vegas Golden Knights routed the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round series.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2.

“Our desperation level definitely got higher,” Marner said. “I just like the way that we came out and started. The first 10 minutes really, we just played our game and got to it, and that's something we were missing the first two games.”

Carter Hart made 30 saves as Vegas moved halfway to the Western Conference finals while sending the upstart Ducks to the worst loss of their first postseason in eight years.

Game 4 is Sunday night in Anaheim.

Marner got his natural hat trick in the first two periods, giving him six goals in the past four games of his first playoff run with his new team. The longtime Maple Leafs forward delivered Vegas’ first four-point playoff performance since 2019 and prompted a few hats to be thrown onto the ice when he slipped his third goal under Ville Husso with 2:04 left in the second.

“I think (Marner) is very confident in what he brings," Vegas coach John Tortorella said. "People give him (grief) all the time about playoffs, and this and that, and I don’t think it bothers him a lick. He just plays. He’s a hockey player, and I’m glad he’s doing some things for us.”

Marner's three goals were more than he scored in last spring's entire 13-game playoff run with Toronto, where the Ontario native frequently got criticism for not delivering in the postseason.

“It's always nice to try to contribute, but at the end of the day, you just want to win games,” Marner said. “There's been a lot of different moments so far in this playoffs that people have stepped up and made big plays. Tonight, (there were) a lot of great plays by people around me to set me up in a spot where I could succeed.”

Beckett Sennecke and Chris Kreider scored in the third period for the Ducks, who got embarrassed in their team’s first home game in the second round since 2017. Kreider's goal was the 50th of his playoff career.

“I thought they played well, but I don't think we brought our best,” Ducks forward Alex Killorn said. “Maybe a little bit comfortable, in all honesty. They're a great team. We just have to have a little bit of a better start and effort.”

Lukas Dostal gave up three goals on eight shots in a rough first period before Husso replaced him. Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said he wasn't sure whether Dostal would start Game 4.

“They were desperate. They were hungrier,” Quenneville said after his team’s first home playoff loss of the spring. “I think there’s a lesson to take out of today’s game, and it’s only going to get harder every single game. ... They play like they’re an experienced bunch and they know what is necessary as you progress in a series. They got our attention.”

Vegas captain Mark Stone didn't play in the third period after apparently incurring a lower-body injury in the first period. Tortorella declined to give details.

Theodore, Anaheim's first-round draft pick in 2013, put Vegas ahead 66 seconds after the opening faceoff with his 20th postseason goal.

The 35-year-old McNabb then scored the third short-handed goal of his 14-year NHL career, and Marner capped the Knights' stellar first period with his fourth playoff goal on a power play. Marner tapped in a pass from Theodore midway through the second.

Brett Howden put his sixth playoff goal into an empty net with 1:56 left.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Anaheim Ducks center Mikael Granlund, left passes the puck while under pressure from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson during the first period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Friday, May 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, right, celebrates his goal with defenseman Noah Hanifin during the second period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, right, scores on Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso, center, as center Jack Eichel watches during the second period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Friday, May 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner celebrates his goal during the second period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman homered, Shohei Ohtani hit a go-ahead single and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in a showdown of National League division leaders Friday night.

Ohtani drove in Miguel Rojas to put the Dodgers up 2-1 with two outs in the fifth. Rojas reached second base on a throwing error by shortstop Jim Jarvis to start the inning.

Freeman led off the sixth with his fourth home run, a 413-foot shot to center field. He had gone 25 games without one.

Alex Vesia (1-0) got one out in relief for the win, and Tanner Scott pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Atlanta ace Chris Sale (6-2) allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked none.

Michael Harris II went 4 for 4, but the Braves dropped their eighth straight game at Dodger Stadium.

Austin Riley put Atlanta ahead with an RBI single in the second that left runners at the corners before Emmet Sheehan limited the damage with consecutive strikeouts.

Kyle Tucker tied it at 1 in the bottom half with a bloop RBI double.

Harris was tagged out at home plate by catcher Will Smith to end the fourth. Rojas' relay throw from shortstop was in time after Riley doubled off the bullpen wall in left field. The call was upheld after Braves manager Walt Weiss challenged.

Blake Snell will make his season debut Saturday night for the Dodgers instead of making one more minor league rehab start in his recovery from left shoulder fatigue. Spencer Strider (0-0, 8.10 ERA) pitches for Atlanta after he allowed three earned runs in 3 1/3 innings at Colorado on Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley hits an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman (5) and Miguel Rojas, right, celebrate after Freddie Freeman hits a home run as Teoscar Hernández (37) watches during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani follows through on his swing while grounding out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman watches his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)