The Anaheim Ducks found themselves on the brink of elimination Tuesday night, falling 5-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 to lose the series 4-2. A slow start at Honda Center proved costly against a seasoned playoff opponent that never let up.

From the opening puck drop, the Ducks were chasing the game. Vegas struck on their first shot of the night, setting the tone for a first period that quickly spiraled out of control. Mitch Marner opened the scoring, and before the period was over, Brett Howden added a shorthanded tally and Shea Theodore buried a power-play goal. In the blink of an eye, Anaheim faced a 3-0 deficit—a hole too deep to dig out of against a Golden Knights team built for playoff hockey.

Pavel Dorofeyev continued his spectacular series, adding two more goals to his postseason tally. The young forward has been a revelation for Vegas, using his speed and finishing ability to torment the Ducks defense all series long.

The Ducks were dealt an early blow when forward Ryan Poehling left the game in the first period after a late hit from defenseman Brayden McNabb. The NHL's Department of Player Safety suspended McNabb for Game 6, but the damage was already done. Jansen Harkins drew back into the lineup in Poehling's absence, while Mason McTavish shifted to center on the third line alongside Jeff Viel and Cutter Gauthier.

In net, Lukáš Dostál struggled to find his rhythm, stopping just 16 of 21 shots. At the other end, Carter Hart was sharp for Vegas, turning aside 31 of 32 shots to keep the Ducks at bay.

Head coach Joel Quenneville tried to spark the offense after the second period, swapping Troy Terry and Beckett Sennecke to inject more speed into Leo Carlsson's line. The adjustment created a few chances, but the Golden Knights refused to sit back. Vegas played with the confidence of a team that has been a perennial playoff contender, pushing the pace and never allowing Anaheim to build momentum.

For the Ducks, the loss marks the end of a hard-fought postseason run that showed promise but ultimately came up short against a deeper, more experienced opponent. The silver lining? A young core that gained invaluable playoff experience—lessons that will serve them well as they look to take the next step next season.