There’ll be no complimentary champagne, red carpets or luxury suites as the Ducks welcome visitors from Las Vegas on Wednesday, when they’ll joust with the Golden Knights in search of their first victory in the season series. Vegas captured two prior meetings by 3-1 and 3-2 counts in 2024-25, after their title defense last season was weighed down by losses in three of four matchups with the fledgling Ducks. Frank Vatrano had four goals and six points in those games to pace the Ducks. After pounding the bottom of the ketchup bottle – he has 16 more shots on goal than any other Duck – the sauce is starting to flow for Vatrano, with four goals in his past four games following just one goal against a goalie in his other 18 outings. Last year, when he catapulted over his previous career high of 24 goals to find the twine 37 times, Vatrano wedged a goal between droughts of nine and seven contests before finishing the campaign with seven goals in four games. “Frankie was going to score eventually. He’s a scorer, and those guys go through dry spells,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “It doesn’t matter how many games you don’t score in.” All four of Vatrano’s goals featured assists by Troy Terry, who has seven helpers over that same four-game span. Terry has created a more commanding presence and assumed an even stronger leadership role this season, one in which the 27-year-old said the Ducks’ young group sometimes made him feel old. Yet Vatrano said he saw “the same player.” “As you get older, you know where you’re going to score your goals from and where you’re going to get your opportunities,” Vatrano, 30, said. “You kind of outsmart guys, knowing where you need to be, knowing where you need to break down the defense and hold onto the puck to make plays. I think it’s just him maturing, playing a lot more games and becoming a veteran in this league.” Yet Terry underwent something of a stylistic transformation offensively last season, which paid dividends as it progressed. He has continued to refine his game, balancing his ability to carry the puck confidently with trust that he’ll be able to recover dumps, chips and other conservative plays that can enable him to continue attacking. Cronin, who described the line of Vatrano, Terry and Ryan Strome as a trio that played like “a fourth line with skill,” credited the relationship Terry has with assistant coach Tim Army for some of his advances. “He’s getting a steady diet and a healthy diet of when to move (the puck) forward and when not to move it forward, to recognize when there’s an opportunity to use your creativity at the offensive blue line and when not to,” Cronin said. The scoring spree of Vatrano and Terry has been timely since Leo Carlsson sustained an upper-body injury four games ago against Seattle. He should be considered doubtful against Vegas. Defenseman Cam Fowler, who had five points against Vegas last season, is again a possibility to skate but hasn’t played since Nov. 5. Related Articles Anaheim Ducks | Ducks defeat Senators in shootout behind Troy Terry’s standout night Anaheim Ducks | Ducks starting to ‘play with an identity’ ahead of hosting Ottawa Anaheim Ducks | Alexander: Kings goalie Erik Portillo can be proud after dazzling NHL debut Anaheim Ducks | Erik Portillo wins his NHL debut as Kings edge Ducks in Freeway Faceoff Anaheim Ducks | Ducks eye first winning record in 5 weeks ahead of Freeway Faceoff with Kings Vegas will be without a pair of rearguards, Zach Whitecloud and former Duck Ben Hutton, as well as Mark Stone, the Golden Knights’ captain and top scorer on a per-game basis. They’re led in overall points by Jack Eichel and in defensive scoring by former Duck Shea Theodore. Like the Ottawa Senators were in the Ducks’ 4-3 shootout win on Sunday, Vegas will be in the back half of games on consecutive nights after hosting the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Vegas at Ducks When: 7 p.m. Where: Honda Center How to watch: Victory+, KCOP (Ch. 13)