Theodore scores 2 goals in Golden Knights’ 4-1 win over Anaheim, who lose Zegras to injury

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shea Theodore scored twice for the Vegas Golden Knights Wednesday night in a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, who lost Trevor Zegras to a potentially serious lower-body injury.

William Karlsson and Alexander Holtz also scored and Ilya Samsonov made 19 saves for the division-leading Golden Knights, who improved to 8-1-1 against the Pacific Division with their sixth win in eight games overall . Vegas has beaten Anaheim in all three meetings this season.

Jackson LaCombe scored and John Gibson stopped 30 shots for the last-place Ducks.

Karlsson scored his fifth goal late in the first period. He has 16 goals and 27 points in 37 games against the Ducks, who drafted the Swede then lost him in an unfortunate trade with Columbus nearly 10 years ago.

Theodore, another Ducks draft pick sent to Vegas in a questionable expansion draft, scored early in the second period.

LaCombe beat Samsonov with a long shot in traffic, scoring goals in consecutive games for the first time.

Holtz scored his first goal since Oct. 22 early in the third on a centering pass from Tanner Pearson. Théodore added a goal into an empty net.

Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler returned from an 11-game injury absence.

Takeaways

Golden Knights: They rebounded smartly from a 6-0 loss to Utah last weekend.

Ducks: They can’t regain their momentum or consistency this season, and a long-term injury to Zegras would set them back even further.

Key moment

Zegras badly needed help getting off the ice after a non-contact injury in the second period. He has yet to return to his 60-point form from two seasons ago, but he remains one of Anaheim’s few offensive talents.

Key statistic

1 — Total penalties for the Knights in their last two games. Vegas committed a minor in Anaheim after going penalty-free against Edmonton on Tuesday.

To be continued

Vegas hosts Dallas on Friday night. Anaheim hosts Minnesota on Friday.