Henrique helps Ducks knock off Golden Knights 3-2 in SO

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Adam Henrique had two goals, John Gibson made 49 saves in his return after missing five games because of a lower-body injury and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday night.

Trevor Zegras had two assists to pass 100 career points, and Troy Terry also had two assists. Each scored for Anaheim in the shootout. Gibson stopped Mark Stone’s try, and Reilly Smith shot wide for Vegas.

“I think we got the best goalie in the world back there. That’s what happens when you put a couple behind (their goalie), and your goalie makes 50 unbelievable saves,” Zegras said.

Stone scored short-handed, and Ben Hutton added a goal for the Golden Knights, who lost both games of a back-to-back against the Southern California teams. Vegas lost 4-2 at Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Vegas’ Adin Hill was replaced in the first period after allowing two goals on five shots. Logan Thompson stopped 22 shots in relief.

“We changed the goalie, and I’m not a big proponent of that. But something looked off,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said.

Vegas tied it at 2 with 6:28 left in the second period on Hutton’s first goal, which pinballed in off the skate of defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.

Stone picked off John Klingberg’s whiff of a pass and got Gibson going to his right before scoring on a short-handed breakaway, cutting it to 2-1 with 6:45 left in the first.

The Golden Knights lead the league with seven short-handed goals, including two by Stone.

However, Vegas couldn’t strike on its own power play, going 0 for 5. That included a 5-on-3 power play for 1:51 in the first period.

Anaheim didn’t fare any better, also going 0 for 5.

“Honestly, we misfired on some of our opportunities, and it ends up being probably the difference in the game. Either team scores on the power play, it probably doesn’t end up going to a shootout, right?” Cassidy said.

Henrique struck twice in the opening 12:26 to put the Ducks up 2-0. He opened the scoring by putting in his own rebound after it deflected off defenseman Daniil Miromanov 3:27 into the game.

“Obviously, we knew they played last night,” Zegras said. “They got a bunch of their key guys out, and we wanted to jump on them early. … It’s Vegas, they’re an unreal team, and obviously we don’t love, love those guys, so it’s nice to beat ’em every once in a while.”

It was Henrique’s slap shot from the high slot for his 11th goal of the season that marked the end of the night for Hill, who was beaten to his blocker side.

“It’s awesome,” Zegras said of sending Hill to the bench early. “The Adam Henrique slapper from the blue line, it’s electric.”

CENTURY CELEBRATION

Zegras has 36 goals and 65 assists in 135 games, becoming the third-fastest Duck to get 100 points. Paul Kariya did it in 98 games, while Bobby Ryan needed 126.

“Obviously, it’s kind of the people you’re with, your team, and the guys you can share it with,” Zegras said. “I thought it was pretty cool that it came from Troy and ‘Rico,’ and they were both in on the play.”

WORTH NOTING

Golden Knights F Michael Amadio had an assist to extend his point streak to five games. He has four goals and three assists in that span.

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Host Nashville on Saturday.

Ducks: Host Nashville on Friday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.