Killorn, Sennecke get big goals in Ducks’ series-evening, 4-3 win over Golden Knights in Game 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alex Killorn and rookie Beckett Sennecke had a power-play goal and an assist apiece, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 4 on Sunday night to even their second-round series at two games apiece.

Ian Moore got his first career playoff goal, Cutter Gauthier contributed three assists and Mikael Granlund also scored for the upstart Ducks, who responded to their 6-2 blowout loss in Game 3 with another mature two-way performance in their first playoff run since 2018.

“It’s a great rebound, a good, resilient game,” Killorn said. “I think there was a lot more urgency tonight. That’s kind of the way playoffs go. You don’t ever want to lose two in a row at home. You don’t want to go down 3-1 in a series. We made some adjustments. That’s just what playoffs is. They had a great game last time. We had a good game tonight, and we expect it to be a really good series going forward.”

Lukas Dostal made 18 saves in a strong bounce-back effort after getting pulled from Game 3 for allowing three goals in his latest shaky first period, and his teammates provided more than enough offense in their highest-scoring performance of the series. The Ducks are tied for the overall Stanley Cup playoff lead with 36 goals and 10 power-play scores.

“I thought we worked hard and did a lot of good things,” Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said. “A little dangerous at the end again, but certainly a lot of positives.”

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas, with Game 6 back in Anaheim on Thursday night.

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights, whose three-game road winning streak ended.

Carter Hart stopped 19 shots despite some shaky moments, while Mitch Marner had three assists in Game 4 following his hat trick in Game 3, giving him an NHL-leading and career-best 16 points in the postseason.

Anaheim’s two power-play goals ended the unit’s 0-for-11 skid and finally dented a Vegas penalty kill that allowed just one power-play goal in its first nine postseason games. Killorn got the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period when he drove the net and his shot trickled through Hart.

“I’m not going to dissect the PK,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “I think the biggest part of the game was we needed to get out of the second period (tied) 2-2. That gave them some life, and they scored their fourth goal and they’re just filling the neutral zone, just stacking. I think that was the most important part of the game.”

Moore added to the Ducks’ early in the third, recording his first career playoff point. Tomas Hertl ended his personal 29-game goal drought when he scored for Vegas with 1:04 left while Hart was pulled for an extra attacker, but Anaheim held on.

Sennecke, the Ducks’ 20-year-old Calder Trophy finalist, opened the scoring with just the second power-play goal allowed by the Golden Knights in the entire postseason, ending a streak of 21 straight kills.

Sennecke scored a goal in his third consecutive game, joining Sidney Crosby (2007) as the only players under 21 with a three-game postseason goal streak in the 21st century.

Howden tied it with his seventh goal of the postseason early in the second period off a slick setup from former Ducks draft pick William Karlsson.

Vegas played without captain Mark Stone, who incurred an undisclosed injury in Game 3.

Anaheim shook up its lineup, inserting puck-moving defenseman Olen Zellweger for his playoff debut and his first game action since April 7 while Moore and forward Mason McTavish also returned after healthy scratches. Quenneville praised all three players’ effort.

___

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

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press