Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks Prediction, Preview and Odds - 05/08/2026

Game Time: 9:30 pm ET, Friday, May 8, 2026

Venue:  Honda Center, Anaheim, CA

Where to Watch:  TNT, HBO Max, truTV

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Knights -112, Ducks -108; Over/Under:  5.5 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Knights -110, Ducks -110; Over/Under:  6 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Knights -110, Ducks -110; Over/Under:  6 goals

Vegas Golden Knights:  39-26-17 (1st place, Pacific Division)

Anaheim Ducks:  43-33-6 (3rd place, Pacific Division)

Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Vegas Writer is on a HOT STREAK in the NHL on a 16-11-1 NHL RUN for +$5,630 PROFIT! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.

Vegas Golden Knights:  7-2-1 last 10

Anaheim Ducks:  6-4-0 last 10

The Golden Knights are entering the playoffs with 95 points, a 39-26-17 record overall, and they were 19-14-8 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Anaheim Ducks in their last game, losing that one at home 3-1. Mark Stone scored 1 goal for them in that one. Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore each led the team in assists with 1 while Ivan Barbashev led the team in shots on net in that game with 5. Carter Hart was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 27 shots with 25 saves and a .926 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 265 goals this season averaging 3.2 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 250 goals against them allowing 3 goals per game.

The Ducks are entering the playoffs with 92 points, a 43-33-6 record overall, and they were 24-13-4 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Vegas Golden Knights in their last game, winning that one on the road 3-1. Beckett Sennecke, Jansen Harkins, and Leo Carlsson each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Chris Kreider, Jeffrey Viel, Ryan Poehling, and Troy Terry each led the team in assists with 1 while Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier each led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Lukáš Dostál was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 1 goal on 22 shots with 21 saves and a .955 save percentage. Their offense has scored 273 goals this season averaging 3.3 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 288 goals against them allowing 3.5 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Golden Knights listed as a slight favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Golden Knights have looked good in their games this season with their 39-26-17 record overall which had them right at the top of their division in the West. They haven't been a great road team though with their 19-14-8 road record this year. Meanwhile, the Ducks have looked good in their games this season with their 43-33-6 record overall which had them in the top half of their division in the West. They have looked good on home ice too with their 24-13-4 home record this season. This is game 3 of a 7-game series against the 1st seeded Golden Knights and the 3rd seeded Ducks from the Pacific Division for the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs. This series is all evened up 1-1 after the Ducks won game 2 by a score of 3-1. The Ducks were able to kick out the Oilers in the 1st round and now they have tied up this series with a great game in game 2, but they didn't look great entering the playoffs and they have been a really up and down team all season. They have looked a lot better on home ice this year while the Golden Knights have looked worse in road games, but the Golden Knights have really turned the page under Tortorella and they have been rolling lately. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games as they have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since bringing in Tortorella and they also have the playoff experience to help them through this series. The Ducks are still a really young team that doesn't have that same playoff experience and they are 1 of 2 teams in the NHL who made the playoffs this year with a negative goal difference. The Ducks aren't a true playoff team and now that the Golden Knights need to step up to win a road game and get the home advantage back, they will dig deep and answer that loss with a better game. They did the same thing in the last round too, having trouble against the Mammoth to start the series but finishing it off really strong. Look for the Golden Knights to lean on that playoff experience in this one and bounce back with a road win. The best way to place a bet here is on the Golden Knights to win this game. 

Golden Knights Ducks Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Friday, May 8, 2026 (9:30 pm ET start time) is Knights 4 Ducks 3.

Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this Vegas Golden Knights Anaheim Ducks prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NHL predictions and previews.

Vegas Golden Knights: 73-74 (-34.5 units) on the moneyline as a favorite of -200 or less. 32-42 (-21.4 units) on the moneyline when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%). 71-79 (-27.5 units) on the moneyline against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game. 21-15 OVER on the road when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%).

Anaheim Ducks: 110-143 (+7.6 units) on the moneyline in all games. 61-88 (+7.2 units) on the moneyline against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game. 28-29 (+23.5 units) on the moneyline against good possession teams-averaging 3+ more shots on goal than opp. 28-15 OVER when the money line is -100 to -150.

Vegas Golden Knights:  J. Lauzon (D) Out - Undisclosed.

Anaheim Ducks:  R. Gudas (D) Day To Day - Lower Body. P. Mrazek (G) Out For Season - Lower-Body.

“There were some really good minutes. Some minutes that we’re just not there. I have full trust we’re going to find our way and try to play our best game. That certainly hasn’t happened yet in the series, but we’ll find our way and get there.” - John Tortorella after his team’s loss against the Ducks in the 2nd game of this series on Wednesday. 

“That’s not our tradition playing that type of game, a low-scoring affair. We’ve had some stretches show now over the course of the season, particularly late; this is the only way you’re going to be successful in the playoffs. You got to win games like tonight. I think that we showed that it’s going to take everybody to play that type of game.” - Joel Quenneville after his team’s win against the Golden Knights in game 2 of this series on Wednesday. 

LW Ivan Barbashev

C Jack Eichel

RW Pavel Dorofeyev

LD Brayden McNabb

RD Shea Theodore

G Carter Hart

LW Chris Kreider

C Leo Carlsson

RW Troy Terry

LD Jackson LaCombe

RD Jacob Trouba

G Lukas Dostal

Points: Jack Eichel (90)

Goals: Pavel Dorofeyev (37)

Assists: Jack Eichel (63)

GAA: Akira Schmid (2.59)

Points: Cutter Gauthier (69)

Goals: Cutter Gauthier (41)

Assists: Jackson LaCombe (48)

GAA: Lukas Dostal (3.10)

Coaches:

Vegas Golden Knights: John Tortorella (Interim)

Anaheim Ducks: Joel Quenneville (1st season)