Vegas enters its November 22 road matchup in Anaheim with the mindset of a team that understands both the urgency of re-establishing consistency and the challenge of facing a Ducks squad that has been outperforming expectations at home, and the Golden Knights know that this contest demands discipline, structure and calm execution from the opening puck drop. On the road, Vegas must rely heavily on the principles that have defined their identity in past successful seasons—protecting the puck, controlling tempo, eliminating unnecessary risk and forcing opponents into predictable offensive patterns—because Anaheim’s young roster thrives when games tilt into transition, chaos or second-chance scoring situations. The Golden Knights’ first priority is to manage pace, preventing the Ducks from turning loose pucks or rapid outlets into rush chances that expose gaps in neutral-zone coverage; this requires tight spacing between forwards and defensemen, clean breakouts, and communication that eliminates the types of turnovers that Anaheim can immediately convert into momentum bursts. Offensively, Vegas must focus on generating high-quality chances inside the dots rather than leaning on perimeter cycling that allows Anaheim’s defense to settle comfortably; they need net-front presence, layers of traffic, rebound pressure and the patience to extend possessions until seams open. Their depth scoring plays an especially important role on the road, as veteran third- and fourth-line players must sustain pressure, protect the puck in the offensive zone and avoid being hemmed into long defensive shifts that energize the Ducks’ home crowd.

Defensively, Vegas must remain compact and disciplined, closing off the middle of the ice, managing rebounds decisively and preventing Anaheim’s forwards from establishing inside body position on second-chance attempts—an area where the Ducks have excelled during their recent home performances. Physicality must be controlled rather than reckless; Vegas cannot afford penalties that hand Anaheim the chance to swing momentum through special teams, and their penalty kill must be aggressive enough to break up Anaheim’s puck movement without overextending and leaving lanes exposed. Goaltending will also be critical, as Vegas needs a stabilizing presence who can weather early Anaheim pushes, control rebounds and quiet the crowd with timely stops. The Golden Knights must also prepare mentally for the shifts in momentum that often occur on the road—staying poised when the Ducks attack in waves, responding to adversity with structure rather than rushed decisions and leaning on their experience to steady the game when pace accelerates or the building becomes loud. If Vegas can control the neutral zone, limit turnovers, manage rebounds, and dictate the rhythm of play through disciplined possession and layered defensive coverage, they have a clear path to imposing their identity and securing a road win. But if they allow Anaheim to speed the game, win the board battles, generate multiple looks off rebounds or feed off extended offensive-zone time from energy shifts, the momentum could quickly tilt against them, making this a far more difficult road challenge than their roster pedigree might suggest.