Golden Knights beat Ducks, extend win streak to 9 games

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chandler Stephenson had a chance to shoot for his hat trick late in the third period but decided to circle back and leave a pass for a teammate.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Stephenson couldn’t settle the puck on his backhand for an attempt on net or just didn’t want to rub it in any further, though neither would have been a surprise.

Stephenson finished with three points, and the Golden Knights rolled Anaheim 5-1 on Saturday at Honda Center.

The Knights (34-11-2) set a franchise record with their ninth consecutive win and matched the New York Islanders for the longest winning streak in the league this season.

They also became the first team to reach the 70-point mark.

“It’s an impressive run. I don’t care who you’re playing,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ve done it all kinds of different ways, but the bottom line is our foundation has been really good every night, which has given us a chance to win.”

The Knights were without injured winger Reilly Smith for the third straight game and lost centers Tomas Nosek and Nicolas Roy during the game.

Stephenson scored 28 seconds into the first period and added a second goal on a breakaway late in the period as he set career highs in goals (12) and points (29).

Defenseman Shea Theodore added a goal and an assist to reach the 40-point mark, and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo added two assists.

The Knights have scored four goals or more in six of the past seven games and eight of their past 11.

They’ll enjoy three days off before their showdown with second-place Colorado (31-10-4, 66 points) on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s been a very draining season physically and mentally,” Stephenson said. “To be in the position we’re in, it’s nice to have clinched a spot already. I think everybody is looking forward to those games being rescheduled and getting some time off here and time away to relax. We’re going to recharge the engines.”

Goalie Robin Lehner made his first start since he slammed the NHL and NHL Players’ Association on Wednesday for not following through with looser restrictions after players were vaccinated against COVID-19.

He won his sixth in a row and improved to 9-0-1 since he returned from a concussion on March 19.

Lehner’s best stop came when he turned away Derek Grant on a short-handed breakaway midway through the second period.

Sam Steel had the lone goal for Anaheim early in the third period.

William Carrier put the Knights ahead 3-0 in the second period when he finished off a two-on-one break created by Pietrangelo.

The Knights finished the season series 7-1, outscoring the Ducks 29-13 combined, and swept all four games on the road.

“I think the important thing is we’re getting offense throughout the lineup which, obviously, at this time of year going into the playoffs is important,” Pietrangelo said.

DeBoer was forced to get creative with his line combinations without Nosek and then Roy, and the Knights didn’t find a flow until Stephenson gathered a long pass from Shea Theodore and scored on a breakaway for his second goal with 5:15 left in the first.

Stephenson put the Knights ahead 28 seconds in when he one-timed a pass from Max Pacioretty past Ducks goalie John Gibson.

The Knights went more than six minutes before their next shot on goal and another 7:45 without putting a puck on Gibson before Stephenson scored on their third shot of the period.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.