After dispiriting season, Ducks go into summer on a high note
LAS VEGAS — Frank Vatrano scored three goals and the Ducks ended their season on a high note, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 on Thursday night.
Vegas’ three-game winning streak ended and the loss knocked the Golden Knights out of third place in the Pacific Division and into the second Western Conference wild card when the Kings earned a point by getting to overtime against Chicago. Vegas will face top seed Dallas in the first round, while the Kings play Edmonton.
Vatrano’s goals gave him 37 for the season, a career high. It was his third hat trick this season and the sixth of his career.
Jackson LaCombe had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who finished 27-50-5 for 59 points. Ryan Strome had two assists and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves.
Cutter Gauthier had an assist in his first career game.
Just five days earlier, he was playing in the NCAA championship game at the Frozen Four for Boston College.
“It feels incredible,” Gauthier said of his primary assist on LaCombe’s goal. “I heard Comber calling for it there and I passed it to him. I saw it trickle in there and just very excited, pure joy. It’s something you dream of as a kid.”
Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg, who played his final NHL game after 12 seasons in the league, was congratulated by his teammates and then shook hands with Golden Knights players after the game. Eleven of his seasons came with the Ducks and he ranks in the franchise’s top 10 of several categories.
“I enjoyed my time here a lot, not just me but my family,” Silfverberg said. “It’s been 11 amazing years. It’s definitely a team I’ll be rooting for and I’ll follow them closely.”
Jack Eichel scored his 31st goal for the Knights, and Adin Hill made 19 stops.
William Karlsson’s second-period assist for Vegas gave him 60 points this season, the second time he has reached the mark.
He had 78 points in the 2017-18 season.
Karlsson remains the club’s single-season goals leader at 43, with Jonathan Marchessault coming one short despite 13 shots against the Ducks, including seven on goal.
Marchessault scored only one goal in his final seven games.
Vatrano’s final goal came with 15 seconds left on an empty-netter with the Knights on a six-on-four power play.