Round two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs has arrived, bringing another clash between Pacific Division foes to the schedule. In the Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Vegas Golden Knights will now take on the Anaheim Ducks in a battle between a proven postseason contender and a fun batch of upstarts.

As opening odds go live for each playoff series on DraftKings Sportsbook, we get our first look at which side betting markets favor. The initial listing sees the Golden Knights enter as -190 favorites to win this series while the Ducks come in as a +160 underdog.

Vegas was challenged briefly by the Utah Mammoth in round one but eventually rattled off three straight wins to close the series out on the road. With two of those going into overtime, the roster showed exactly why their experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs matters, making plays down the stretch and not shying away under pressure. The Golden Knights’ traditionally strong defense struggled some of the series, but the offense won out in the end with 3.83 goals per game. Jack Eichel’s nine points pace the roster and Mitch Marner tallied three in the closeout game to make it seven on the series. Ivan Barbashev and captain Mark Stone keep playing crucial roles as well. Goalie Carter Hart has been inconsistent, but has shown some degree of upside despite a 2.72 GAA and .898 SV% in the postseason.

The Ducks were actually an underdog to even make it out of the first round, overcoming +175 odds as they took down Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in an offense-centric series. Anaheim tallied 92 points in the regular season and may not be the most reliable team in terms of defense, but there’s no doubt that the roster can compete when games turn into a shootout. These underdogs average 4.33 goals per game through their six playoff games, also clicking at an incredible 50.0% on the power play. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Bennett Sennecke and Troy Terry have all played key roles thus far, but it’s Jackson LaCombe who paces the roster with nine points in the postseason. In net, there are concerns, though Lukas Dostal has an .874 SV% and 3.87 GAA through six appearances.

The Golden Knights hold +600 odds to win the Stanley Cup, the third best of any team on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Ducks come in with +2500 odds, last among all remaining teams but a massive jump from their +8000 entering the playoffs.