LAS VEGAS (KLAS) \u2014 The Vegas Golden Knights have defeated the Utah Mammoth in the first round of the NHL\u2019s Stanley Cup Playoffs and are now set to face off with the Anaheim Ducks in Round 2.<\/p>\n
These two teams played each other three times in the regular season, with two ties and one victory for the Ducks. Vegas fans are hoping to turn that around now in the playoffs where the Golden Knights are the higher seed due to a better overall record in the regular season.<\/p>\n
>>Full VGK coverage weekdays at 5:30 on Sports Wrap Daily <\/a><\/p>\n All series in the Stanley Cup playoffs are best-of-seven, meaning the first team to win four games will advance. The winner of Golden Knights vs. Ducks will face the winner of the series between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild.<\/p>\n When do the Golden Knights play the Ducks?<\/p>\n This best-of-seven series kicks off on May 4 and may last for up to two weeks.<\/p>\n Game 1: May 4, 6:30 p.m. at Vegas<\/p>\n Game 2: May 6, 6:30 p.m. at Vegas<\/p>\n Game 3: May 8, 6:30 p.m. at Anaheim<\/p>\n Game 4: May 10, 6:30 p.m. at Anaheim<\/p>\n Game 5: May 12, TBD at Vegas (if needed)<\/p>\n Game 6: May 14, TBD at Anaheim (if needed)<\/p>\n Game 7: May 16, TBD at Vegas (if needed)<\/p>\n The next round, the Western Conference Finals, will likely begin a few days after both series conclude.<\/p>\n How much are tickets for Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks<\/p>\n Tickets to Games 1 and 2 here in Las Vegas are still available for fans looking to head to T-Mobile Arena. Tickets start just under $100 for seats in the upper level, and reach up to $1,500 each closer to the glass.<\/p>\n Tickets to watch the games in Anaheim are also still available, but at a much steeper price. The cheapest seats available as of May 4 start at nearly $250 for each of Games 3 and 4.<\/p>\n What to watch for: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks<\/p>\n If the first round of the\u00a0NHL playoffs<\/a>\u00a0played out almost exactly like the opening series a year ago when the Golden Knights\u00a0eliminated Minnesota in six games<\/a>, their next opponent is a striking reminder to the one they just vanquished.<\/p>\n The Golden Knights again are the more playoff-seasoned team, but the Anaheim Ducks counter with a faster team interested in more of a track meet when their best-of-seven series opens Monday night in Vegas.<\/p>\n Much like the Utah Mammoth, a team\u00a0Vegas eliminated in six games<\/a>\u00a0on Friday night. The Golden Knights are -210 favorites.<\/p>\n Their playoff experience was crucial against the Mammoth, never panicking even when the Golden Knights had every reason to, trailing in the third period in each of the first five games. They found ways to survive before putting together their most complete game in the 5-1 clincher.<\/p>\n \u201cI think (the experience) only helps the farther you go,\u201d Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb said. \u201cThe pressure ramps up as you keep going. A lot of guys in here have had long playoff series and understand what it\u2019s like. Intensity and speed kind of ramp up as the series goes on.\u201d<\/p>\n The Golden Knights have advanced beyond the first round for sixth time in their eight playoff appearances. The\u00a02023 Stanley Cup champions<\/a>\u00a0have missed the postseason only once in their nine years as a franchise.<\/p>\n This is the Ducks\u2019 first playoff appearance since 2018, but Vegas captain Mark Stone said that is misleading. Nine players not only appeared in the playoffs before this season, eight have played in conference finals and beyond. Alex Killorn won two Stanley Cups in Tampa Bay and John Carlson was on the Washington team that beat the Golden Knights for the 2018 championship.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you still have to be on your toes,\u201d Stone said. \u201cYou just have to play good. You\u2019re playing against the same opponent for seven games potentially. Experience helps, but it\u2019s not everything.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ducks certainly aren\u2019t exhibiting a just-happy-to-be-here vibe. That was evident in their\u00a0six-game series victory over an Edmonton team<\/a>\u00a0that played in the past two Cup Final series.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t accomplish any goal yet,\u201d Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. \u201cWe\u2019re kind of playing as underdogs through the whole playoffs here, so we\u2019re just going to keep doing our thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Ducks wing Troy Terry said the focus after dispatching the Oilers didn\u2019t take long to shift to the Golden Knights.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s May, and you guys (media) are still talking to me,\u201d Terry said. \u201cIt\u2019s new for me, and it\u2019s new for a lot of us. It\u2019s just exciting to come to the rink.\u201d<\/p>\n Young Ducks rising<\/p>\n LaCombe appeared to signal his arrival as an NHL star in the first round with nine points and shutdown defense against Connor McDavid, but other Anaheim youngsters also had auspicious playoff debuts.<\/p>\n Leo Carlsson scored eight points and thrived in the run-and-gun tempo of the first series, demonstrating his formidable two-way game while centering Anaheim\u2019s top line. The 21-year-old Swede led the Ducks with 28 shots.<\/p>\n Cutter Gauthier kept up the pace from his 41-goal regular season, pumping four past the Oilers \u2013 three on the power play with his vicious one-timers from the faceoff circle. The 22-year-old wing had seven points and forced the Oilers to pay inordinate attention to his side of the ice and created opportunities for the likes of linemate Ryan Poehling, who scored four goals.<\/p>\n The other Great One<\/p>\n Golden Knights forward Brett Howden was being interviewed at his locker Sunday when teammate Keegan Kolesar yelled out, \u201cBrettsky!\u201d<\/p>\n Howden kept on talking, and even he knows it\u2019s a little much to be compared to Wayne Gretzky.<\/p>\n \u201c(Kolesar) likes to call me whatever he wants to call me,\u201d Howden said with a chuckle. \u201cOnly my dad and my mom called me that growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n