Vegas @ Anaheim preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 31, 2019 ) Anaheim 2, Vegas 5

The surging Vegas Golden Knights try to increase their Pacific lead when they visit the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Vegas leads Vancouver in the crowded division by two points after winning its fifth consecutive game, 5-3 over the Florida Panthers on Saturday as the offensive continues to click with 20 goals during the run.

The Golden Knights are 9-3-2 since firing Gerald Gallant on Jan. 15 and handing the keys to Peter DeBoer. Anaheim lost 1-0 to Colorado on Friday night for its third straight setback and fourth in five games - two via shutout. "The thing is we need to keep trying to get pucks on net,'' Ducks coach Dallas Eakins told reporters. "It doesn't have to be a clean shot on the net. If you watch the highlights every night, there are a whole lot of dirty goals being scored everywhere. That's how we're going to have to keep committing to getting pucks into the zone in front of the net." Vegas has won nine of the 11 meetings since joining the NHL in 2017-18 after a 5-2 victory Dec. 31 behind a pair of goals by Jonathan Marchessault.

TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: NBC Sports

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (33-22-8): Reilly Smith scored twice Saturday, matching the career high of 25 he set with Florida in 2015-16. Las Vegas native Gage Quinney became the first Nevada native to play an NHL game when he made his debut versus Florida, playing 15 shifts covering 9 minutes, 9 seconds. Malcolm Subban (8-7-3, .983 save percentage) could play goal Sunday after Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 31 shots versus Florida.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (24-30-7): Ryan Getzlaf paces the club with 38 points but hasn't hit the scoresheet in three games, remaining 39 shy of 1,000 while saddled with a team-worst minus-15 rating. Defenseman Cam Fowler will miss his third straight contest with a lower-body injury. Adam Henrique hasn't scored in two games after totaling three of his club-high 21 in the previous two contests.

OVERTIME

1. Newly acquired Vegas D Alec Martinez, who had a goal and an assist in his club debut Thursday, is set to play his 600th game Sunday.

2. Anaheim has lost four straight at home and six of its last seven.

3. The Golden Knights have allowed four power-play goals in its last three games.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2