Golden Knights vs. Ducks Game 4: Series Tied 2-2 After Anaheim Comeback
The Vegas Golden Knights entered Honda Center on May 10, 2026 holding a 2-1 series lead — and left with the second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series dead even. Here's what happened, how fans watched it, and what comes next as this Western Conference battle heads back to Las Vegas.
"The Ducks now face a pivotal game on home ice as they attempt to avoid falling into a 3-1 series deficit," the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted before puck drop Sunday evening — and Anaheim made sure that deficit never materialized.
What followed was one of the more compelling playoff reversals of the 2026 postseason. The Vegas Golden Knights, riding the momentum of Mitch Marner's historic hat trick from Game 3 on May 8, arrived in Anaheim as comfortable favorites. They left with a 4-3 loss and a series that's suddenly wide open again. Sometimes the hockey gods have a sense of humor.
How Game 4 Unfolded — and What the Scoreline Doesn't Tell You
The game aired nationally on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. PDT on Sunday, May 10, as part of ESPN's Stanley Cup Playoff doubleheader coverage. Sean McDonough handled play-by-play alongside analyst Ray Ferraro and reporter Emily Kaplan — the same crew that's become the familiar voice of this postseason for American audiences.
Key facts heading into the game:
- Series record entering Game 4: Golden Knights led 2-1
- Game 3 result (May 8): Vegas 6, Anaheim 2 — Marner recorded a natural hat trick, his first three-goal postseason game
- Game 4 result (May 10): Anaheim 4, Vegas 3 — series now tied 2-2
- Venue: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
- Notable absence: Golden Knights captain Mark Stone was ruled out with a lower-body injury suffered in Game 3
According to highlights published on YouTube following Game 4, both Mitch Marner and Anaheim's Cutter Gauthier recorded three points in the contest — a remarkable statistical mirror that captures just how evenly matched these two teams are when both are operating at full capacity.
Stone's absence loomed large. He's been the heartbeat of Vegas's defensive identity for years, and losing him for a road game against a Ducks squad that was desperate — genuinely desperate — to avoid a 3-1 hole changed the calculus significantly.
Where to Watch: Streaming, TV, and Radio Breakdown
For fans who missed the live broadcast or are catching up across time zones, here's the complete viewing picture as it stood for Game 4:
Television: ESPN (national broadcast)
Streaming platforms carrying ESPN for live access:
For Ducks regional coverage, games have aired on Victory+ (free streaming), FOX 11 Plus (KCOP Channel 13), and KTTV FOX 11 throughout the postseason. The DIRECTV Insider watch guide has a solid breakdown of regional versus national broadcast splits for this series — worth bookmarking if you're navigating the patchwork of playoff TV rights.
Las Vegas radio listeners tuned into KKGK 1340 AM or 94.7 FM, with Spanish-language coverage available on Deportes Vegas 1460.
Movie OTT tracks streaming availability across platforms and regions for exactly these kinds of multi-platform situations — useful when you're trying to figure out which subscription actually gets you access to live NHL playoff action without paying twice.
The Marner Narrative — and Why Game 3 Still Matters
There's a storyline here that's bigger than one playoff series, and honestly, it's the most interesting thread running through this entire bracket.
Mitch Marner spent years carrying a reputation as a player who disappeared when the stakes were highest. Toronto playoff losses became almost ritualistic — and Marner's name was never far from the criticism. Then Vegas acquired him, and something shifted. Game 3 on May 8 was the punctuation mark: a natural hat trick, four total points, a 6-2 demolition of the Ducks that looked, for one night, like the Golden Knights were about to close out a series in five games.
As Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Adam Hill noted before Game 4, Mitch Marner's playoff run with the Golden Knights "has shattered an old narrative about his lack of success in the postseason that probably shouldn't have existed in the first place." That's a generous read — but Game 3 did make it hard to argue otherwise.
Game 4 complicated things. Three points from Marner still wasn't enough. The thing nobody mentions is how much Stone's absence disrupts Vegas's ability to protect leads in the third period — and that's precisely where Anaheim made their move Sunday night.
What This Series Looks Like for Indian Fans and Global Streaming Audiences
NHL playoff hockey doesn't have the same cultural footprint in India that cricket or even the IPL commands — that's just the reality. But the sport's international audience has been growing steadily, and the 2026 postseason has attracted viewers well beyond North America.
For Indian audiences interested in following the Golden Knights vs. Ducks series, the streaming picture is fragmented. ESPN's international distribution means some coverage reaches South Asian markets through partnerships, but there's no single clean answer for live access in India as of this writing. Movie OTT's where-to-watch tracker is worth checking for updated regional availability, particularly as the series extends into Games 5, 6, and potentially 7.
What has gained traction in India is the documentary side of NHL storytelling. NHL Original Productions' feature on the Golden Knights' 2022-23 Stanley Cup Championship — which chronicles the team's memorable season run with behind-the-scenes footage and player interviews — has found audiences through sports documentary channels and streaming libraries. For fans who want context on why Vegas is considered a perennial contender, that film is a solid starting point.
The sport's international reach is expanding. Hard to say if hockey ever cracks the top tier of Indian sports consumption, but playoff drama of this quality doesn't hurt the cause.
The Golden Knights' Championship Pedigree — Why Vegas Is Never Easy to Count Out
Vegas entered this series as the kind of team that doesn't panic. And the historical record backs that up.
The Golden Knights were founded in 2017 as an expansion franchise — and immediately reached the Stanley Cup Final in their debut season, which remains one of the most astonishing first-year performances in North American professional sports history. They won the Stanley Cup in 2023, cementing their place as one of the Western Conference's legitimate powerhouses.
NHL Original Productions documented that 2022-23 championship run in detail, producing a film that features:
- In-depth regular season and postseason highlights
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the locker room and coaching staff
- Interviews with key players and coaches throughout the run
Carter Hart, who stopped 31 shots in Game 3, has been a significant addition to a franchise that's built its identity around goaltending depth and opportunistic offense. Goaltender Lukas Dostal on the Anaheim side — the young netminder who helped the Ducks split the first two games in Las Vegas — is the kind of playoff wildcard who can make a series feel completely different from one night to the next.
For franchise history and series-by-series context, Movie OTT's sports documentary section carries background on the Golden Knights' championship film and related NHL content.
Ducks captain Radko Gudas and the Injury Question That Won't Go Away
Before Game 4, Ducks captain Radko Gudas was listed as a game-time decision. His presence — or absence — matters for Anaheim's physical identity. The Ducks aren't built to win a finesse series against Vegas; they need their veterans to set a tone.
Meanwhile, Stone's status for Game 5 remains the central question for the Golden Knights. Coach John Tortorella did not provide specifics on the injury timeline after Game 3, and the Golden Knights organization has been characteristically tight-lipped. Lower-body injuries in playoff hockey can mean two games or two months — there's almost no way to know until the player either skates in warmups or doesn't.
What Comes Next: Game 5 and the Shift Back to Las Vegas
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m., with the Ducks traveling to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The series returns home for Vegas — which matters. The Golden Knights have been notably strong at T-Mobile Arena throughout this postseason.
The remaining schedule, if needed:
- Game 5 — Tuesday: Ducks at Golden Knights, 6:30 p.m.
- Game 6 — Thursday: Golden Knights at Ducks (if necessary)
- Game 7 — Saturday: Ducks at Golden Knights (if necessary)
What's striking is how quickly this series has flipped. Vegas looked like a team ready to close out in five after Game 3. Now it's anyone's series. For the latest streaming availability and broadcast updates as Game 5 approaches, Movie OTT has the current picture across platforms and regions.
