LAS VEGAS (AP) — Pavel Dorofeyev has made a name for himself with his shot from the right circle, the epitome of a skilled player making the best use of his talents by setting the Vegas record for power-play goals with 20 this season.
But this is the Stanley Cup playoffs and toughness is asked of all the players.
Click to Gallery
Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) scores against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) during the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates his goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) celebrates with center Mason McTavish (23) after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates his game-winning goal with defenseman Ben Hutton (17) during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate defeating the Anaheim Ducks during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Dorofeyev took a hard shot off his right knee in the second period Tuesday night, forcing him to leave the ice for a few minutes. But Dorofeyev, who earlier had a power-play goal, scored at 4:10 of overtime to give Vegas a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, moving the Golden Knights a victory away from advancing to the Western Conference final.
“I just blocked a shot,” said Dorofeyev, who has seven goals this postseason. “It’s kind of a (lousy) part of my job, but it hurts more when I miss it. I just had to get myself together and get back on the ice.”
Game 6 of the second-round series is Thursday night at Anaheim.
The Golden Knights can reach the conference final for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. Anaheim, making its first playoff appearance in eight years, will try force a Game 7 back in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Tomas Hertl had gone 29 games going back to the regular season without a goal, but now has two in two games. He also had the primary assist on Dorofeyev’s power-play goal in the first period.
Jack Eichel had two assists, including the primary one on the winner.
Carter Hart stopped 34 shots, two nights after allowing four goals on 23 shots in a 4-3 loss in Anaheim. Hart bounced back from a similar situation in the opening series, allowing four goals on 12 shots in Game 3 at Utah before winning five of his next six starts.
“We have all the faith in the world in Carter,” said Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who disputed the notion Hart was coming off a down performance. “I look at the Utah series and he was really good there, and he stole a couple of games for us. ... But every time you lose a game in the playoffs, it’s about how you bounce back. I thought all 20 guys who played tonight bounced back and Carter led that.”
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger scored his first career playoff goal from the left circle to tie it at 2 with 3:05 left in regulation. Beckett Sennecke extended his goals streak to four games with a power-play score. Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each has two assists and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves.
“I know this group’s going to bounce back,” Zellweger said. “We have all playoffs long.”
Ducks center Ryan Poehling was helped off the ice after being checked hard into the boards by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb nearly midway through the first period. McNabb received a five-minute major for interference and was sent to the dressing room with a game misconduct, costing the Golden Knights a first-pair blue liner.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said he wouldn’t address whether the officials made the right call to make that a major penalty and eject McNabb, but quickly questioned why there wasn’t call when Vegas defenseman Dylan Coghlan was hit at the end of regulation.
“I just don’t get it,” Tortorella said.
The Ducks got a goal off the McNabb-induced power play when Sennecke scored off a rebound. Dorofeyev answered after taking the puck from Chris Kreider, shifting to the slot and snapping a shot past Dostal.
Hertl’s rebound goal at 4:48 of the third period nearly stood up before Zellweger took advantage of extended offensive zone time to force extra play.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) scores against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) during the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates his goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) celebrates with center Mason McTavish (23) after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates his game-winning goal with defenseman Ben Hutton (17) during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate defeating the Anaheim Ducks during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
NEW YORK (AP) — True to his baseball tools, speedy outfielder A.J. Ewing made a rapid rise through the minors.
He's certainly off to a fast start with the New York Mets, too.
Called up by the struggling Mets after just 12 games at Triple-A Syracuse, the 21-year-old Ewing was awfully impressive in his major league debut Tuesday night. Playing center field and batting eighth, he ripped an RBI triple in the seventh inning for his first career hit in a 10-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
“Good. Comfortable. Confident. Excited,” Ewing said when asked to describe how he felt. “It definitely beat my expectations. It’s indescribable what it was like to play up here in a big league stadium. It’s great.”
Ewing provided much more, too. He also walked three times, scored twice, drove in two runs, stole a base and flied out to the center-field warning track. He became the first Mets player with either a triple or three walks in his major league debut — and the first big league player with three walks and a steal in his debut since the modern stolen base rule was adopted in 1898, according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
In total, exactly the sort of jolt the sagging Mets (16-25) were seeking.
“Man, he was pretty much perfect at the plate today,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was just under control from the very beginning. And like I said, it’s pretty impressive.”
Ewing received a warm ovation from the Citi Field crowd of 36,382 before his first plate appearance, and he worked a seven-pitch walk from starter Jack Flaherty that loaded the bases with one out in the second.
“I just think that’s kind of part of my identity as a hitter is I’m patient. I see a lot of pitches and I make pitchers work hard,” Ewing said. “Just looking around when I got to first base for the first time, that was when it kind of hit. ... Like wow, this is baseball.”
Desperate to spark a stagnant lineup, New York brought Ewing to the majors after he had played only 58 games above High-A ball. He was the club’s second-ranked minor league prospect behind pitcher Jonah Tong, according to MLB.com.
The high-priced Mets began the day ranked 29th among the 30 big league teams in batting average (.222), tied for last in runs (139) and stuck at the bottom by far with a .628 OPS.
“I’m confident in my ability and I’m just going to play the same game that I’ve been playing,” Ewing said before the game. “It’s awesome to be here and I’m ready to go.”
Luis Robert Jr., the team’s opening-day center fielder, is on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation. New York is also missing star shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Jorge Polanco because of injuries.
“The situation the big league club is in and the opportunity that’s here right now is certainly part of it. But we would not have made the decision to promote A.J. if we didn’t think he was ready for the moment,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said.
Utility player Andy Ibáñez was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Ewing.
The left-handed hitter was batting .326 with three doubles, a triple and four RBIs in 51 plate appearances at Syracuse. He had drawn five walks, stolen five bases and scored nine runs.
“There was a lot to like from the very beginning of spring training watching him play and go about his business. The energy, the passion, the smile, and then the tools. You know, the skill set that he brings. It was just eye-opening, to be honest with you,” Mendoza said.
“Obviously, he can help you win baseball games in a lot of different ways. Defensively, baserunning. Offensively it’s a simple swing, simple approach, short to the baseball, uses the whole field. And the makeup of the player. Even though he’s only 21, he’s pretty mature and he’s super consistent. That shows us that, hey, let’s give him an opportunity here.”
Ewing stole 70 bases in 81 attempts combined at three minor league levels last year. He also played second base and both corner outfield spots in the minors, but Mendoza said the Mets will primarily keep him in center initially to help him acclimate to the majors.
“Pretty well-rounded player right now. There aren’t a ton of holes in his game,” Stearns said. “And then there is this ability to handle different situations. He’s a pretty mature kid for a young player. He’s demonstrated that throughout his time in our system. That doesn’t mean this is going to go flawlessly for him.”
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Ewing reached Double-A Binghamton last year, hitting .339 in 28 games, and batted .349 with a 1.053 OPS and 12 steals in 18 games at that level this season before getting promoted to Syracuse on April 27.
He was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 amateur draft out of Springboro High School in Ohio with the pick the Mets received as compensation for losing Jacob deGrom in free agency.
Ewing said his nerves were dissipating as game time approached. He said his father would be in the Citi Field stands Tuesday night along with some close family friends.
“As soon as I got drafted it was like a dream of mine to play here,” Ewing said. “I’m ready to compete.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing, right, celebrates with Mets' pitcher Austin Warren, center, and catcher Luis Torrens, left, after winning a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) successfully steals second base during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) celebrates with a teammate after hitting an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) hits an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) is dunked with gatorade after winning a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) walks in dugout before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9), right, and New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge (3), left, talk before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws to first base after forcing New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) out at second base during the second inning of a baseball game , Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9), left, stands on first base drawing a walk during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) warms up before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
