NHL picks today: Our prediction and pick for Game 4 of the second round between the Ducks and Golden Knights in the NHL Playoffs.
The Ducks will host the Golden Knights on Sunday night in Game 4 of the second round of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, with puck drop set for 9:30 p.m. ET. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Vegas is a -122 road favorite on the Moneyline, and the game’s total is set at O/U 6.5 goals.
Below, I’ll provide a Ducks vs. Golden Knights Game 4 prediction and pick.
The Ducks got embarrassed in Game 3, but this team is far too talented to go down without a fight. No team has generated more 5v5 high-danger chances than the Ducks in the second round, and they rank fourth among all postseason teams in total 5v5 high-danger chances. The opportunities are there, but the club isn’t getting the lucky bounces it needs to top such an experienced team like the Golden Knights. Lukas Dostal continues to struggle between the pipes, sporting a 3.48 GAA and .876 SV% this postseason. He was pulled in Game 3 after allowing three goals on only eight shots, and he ranks dead last among all postseason goaltenders in goals saved above expected.
Even if Anaheim opts to roll with Ville Husso for a much-needed goaltending change, the offense must show up, too. After an exciting first round, the Ducks’ high-scoring affairs have disappeared, with the team totaling just six goals in three games. For reference, the Ducks had already scored 13 goals in three games during the first round. Vegas isn’t Edmonton, however, and Anaheim must come out aggressively offensively to keep this series from getting out of hand. Another unfortunate development for Anaheim is the complete disappearance of its power play success, as the club scored at least one power play goal in every first-round matchup, but now finds itself 0-for-11 in the second round.
Game 3 was the Mitch Marner show, with the 29-year-old recording his first career playoff hat-trick. It feels as if many counted out the Golden Knights due to their average regular-season play and their puzzling head-coaching change late in the season, but the club’s playoff experience has shown up in a big way. It also helps that Marner is finally playing at an elite level, which only enhances the team’s ability to be deadly on offense. Vegas has always been a strong defensive team, and now, it has even received consistent goaltending from Carter Hart, who sports a 2.39 GAA and .915 SV% this postseason. Hart has been especially elite in this series, posting a 1.70 GAA and .947 SV% across three games, which is impressive, given Anaheim’s ability to still create high-danger chances.
While Marner and Jack Eichel are leading the way in terms of points, the balanced effort and production has been a big reason for the Golden Knights’ success. Each line has produced, and given the Ducks’ goaltending issues, the balanced depth should pay dividends for Vegas this entire series. Vegas fields the best penalty kill unit in the entire postseason and has completely shut down Anaheim’s star-studded power play units. It also helps that the club still produces power play goals itself sometimes, posting a 20.7% power play percentage, good for the fifth-best percentage this postseason.
The Ducks burned me bad in Game 3, but they’ve responded well to losses this season, winning 10 of their last 11 games as home underdogs against Pacific Division opponents. Hart’s recent goaltending surge feels and looks unsustainable, and Anaheim played well at home this season, sporting a 24-13-4 record.
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