LAS VEGAS — In a thrilling matchup on Sunday night, the Vegas Golden Knights captured a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, led by goals from Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev.

Ilya Samsonov performed well in net for Vegas, making 22 saves, while James Reimer for the Ducks recorded 29 saves in the contest. The only goal for Anaheim came from Troy Terry.

With this win, the Golden Knights improved their record to 3-0-0 for the season, marking the fifth instance since their inception in 2017 that they have achieved this feat. Furthermore, they continue to dominate the all-time series against the Ducks, boosting their record to 24-7-1, which includes a remarkable 14-3-0 at home.

Ducks: Anaheim, playing its second game of the season, appeared to struggle after a solid 2-0 victory against San Jose the previous night. The Golden Knights outshot the Ducks with a total of 32 shots compared to Anaheim’s 23.

Golden Knights: After allowing Terry’s goal in the opening period, Samsonov showed resilience, particularly during a pivotal moment in the second period when he thwarted Trevor Zegras’ breakaway attempt.

A significant turning point in the game occurred when Anaheim found itself with just three players on the ice while trying to kill a penalty, as Isac Lundestrom lost his stick and struggled to regain control of the puck. The Golden Knights seized this opportunity, with Mark Stone passing to Hertl, who buried a one-timer from close range to secure the game-winning goal. This marked Hertl’s first goal of the season.

Key statistic: Vegas has netted an impressive 15 goals across their opening three games, setting a franchise record for the most goals scored in the first three games of a season.

Looking ahead, the Ducks will host the Utah Hockey Club to kick off their home schedule on Wednesday, while the Golden Knights will embark on a three-game road trip beginning on Tuesday in Washington.