Recap: William Karlsson got Vegas off to a quick start scoring his 10th goal of the season 3:29 into the game. Minnesota caught up later in the period directing a pass by Robin Lehner. The game was tied 1-1 after the opening twenty minutes.
Lehner and Minnesota’s Cam Talbot put on a show in the middle frame. Both goalies were superb shutting down a combined 31 shots on net. The game was locked up 1-1 after 40 minutes played.
Brayden McNabb broke the tie early in 3rd period with his first goal of the season. The Wild didn’t go away and tied that game on a 4-on-3 power play.
The game was tied 2-2 after regulation and needed overtime and a shootout to settle the score. The Wild snuck one past Lehner in shootouts and won 3-2.
Vegas’ record drops to 24-9-2 with their 3-2 defeat in a shootout to Minnesota. The two teams will resume their two-game set on Saturday night. The game is scheduled for 6 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: What an awesome hockey game that one was. The Golden Knights created plenty of amazing chances but Talbot robbed a whole bunch of them. It’s a bit concerning how wide-open the game was, a reoccurring theme against the Wild, but with Vegas playing two men short it’s nothing to lose sleepover. Take the point and be thankful the Golden Knights goalie was great in his own right to keep it from being back-to-back regulation losses. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena
- VGK’s Stone and Pacioretty reliance
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** William Karlsson
** Brayden McNabb
* Robin Lehner
That was a great hockey game. VGK played well enough to win, it just wasn't in the cards. Back in 1st place though.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 2, 2021
There are only so many great chances Lehner can stop in one period.
I think this is his best game as a Golden Knight. He's been awesome.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 2, 2021
Only an idiot would tweet something like this…
VGK 2-1! https://t.co/IxOvFHDNVC
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 2, 2021
So, here's what I'm coming up with on why VGK are playing with 10/6/2…
Per @PuckPedia, players suspended for on-ice actions (Supplementary Discipline) still count against the salary cap. Thus, VGK literally could not afford to replace any of Reaves, Whitecloud, or Stephenson.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 2, 2021
Daryl
What is Lehner’s record in shootouts? Great game overall
thomas pilkington
Riley Smiths’ post-game presser comment about playing their style (Wild) was spot on. All in all a great effort and a fluke bounce in then SO, off the post and Lehners’ heel and some ‘sick’ saves by Talbot….grabbing a point 3 starters down was a good thing…..
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Well crap.
Gutsy effort, down to just 10 forwards, but:
Gotta win it in OT with a 4-3 PP.
Great game by Panda!
At least the 1 pt gets us back into tie for 1st!
Vegas Rhonda
Ken, maybe you could answer this question I have: it’s about the NHL Standings.. in the Central division, I see both the Lightening and Panthers are tied with 52 pt. Tampa Bay has one more win(25) to the Panthers 24 wins. So, the Lightening is in 1st place. NOW, Colo. and Vegas are tied with 50 pats, BUT Vegas has one more win (24) to Colo. 23 wins. Why then are the Knights in 2nd place? Pls explain! Thanks
Mike StG
The first tiebreaker is regulation wins, which doesn’t include wins in overtime. Avs have fewer wins overall but they have 20 regulation wins and Vegas has 18. Six of Vegas’s 24 wins came in OT, only 3 of the Avs’ 23 wins were in OT.
Ken Boehlke
The first tiebreak this season is Regulation wins or RW. These are games won before needing OT or shootout. VGK have 18, COL have 20. Tampa have 21 Florida have 18.
LVsc
they lost that game because of one guy. Keegan Kannotscore.
the Knights got “Demko’d” again.
it was like Nicolas Roy vs Patrick Roy
Hey opponents, whenever your backup goalie needs cheering up, just call on Keegan. He has turned choking on open net shots into an art form. he thinks that the net is only 2 feet high, and that it is illegal to bear down and bury your shot into the top corners of the net. Yep, ol’ alligator arms did it again, he turned Mr Ordinary goaltender into Georges Vezina. and he thinks it’s funny.
I can see it now, game 7, round 1 vs Minny, and good ol’ Keegan has an open net. The only ones left smiling will be the Wild fans.
Mike StG
I think he’s a split second slow on his release. Taking just a little too much time to line up the shot or settle the puck. That close in should be reflexive. I think that’s why it’s constantly happening to him, and not because he’s snake bitten by miraculous goalie saves. He’s not in the AHL anymore, and NHL goalies just need that split second to recover.
hdbiker7851
Hi Mike – good analysis – great hockey players function and react on instinct without having to think. From watching Keegan he doesn’t seem to have that ability which also was the case on another close one he had the chance to bury. I am not sure you can teach that he either has it or doesn’t and up to now he hasn’t demonstrated anywhere coming close.
Tim
Kolesar couldn’t score on an open net.
hdbiker7851
Its hockey but not how you win – you can’t miss opportunities like that and worse yet smile about it. Then of course 4 on 3 PP in OT- what can be said – VGK are just weak when it comes to PP, they had other chances last night and blanked out as well. Sad loss and shouldn’t have happened. They need to figure out the PP quick otherwise opponents will simply man handle Vegas as they are not concerned about playing short handed against them. When it came shoot out time I have read someplace that is not Lehner’s strong suit – of course that’s not the whole story when Vegas guys can’t put the puck in the net either. Let’s see if they can get their act together and win Saturday.
Mike StG
Hd – good point on the PP. It seemed like on one of them we made it into the OZ like once. Looked like one of their pregame soccer ball warmups. And Shea constantly throwing the puck away (like it was the 2018 cup final all over again). I think MIN may have had more shots on goal than Vegas on that one PP. They oughta make Shea pass the puck and let the Fs carry it into the zone.
Daryl
Didn’t VGK have a 4-on-3 PP in OT? VGK didn’t lose because one player missed an open net. I guess we can say VGK list because of 1 player, Pands, who let the puck past him in the SO
Tim
With 21 games to go I don’t get the obsession for a daily update that were still in first place. I think we better figure out a way to score in the playoffs versus what place were in.
THE hockey GOD
and not a single word on why the VGK did not field a full team compliment ?
Why dress short, why not call someone up and roll four lines ?
We are told it’s “salary cap”. Is the team saving that much money to move a deadline deal?
What next they calling up the Hanson brothers ?
PATHETIC display of NHL socialism due to the SALARY CLAP tRAP.
The fans didn’t get to see all their players.
The players were put at risk forced to play more minutes. Where is the players union? And some of the players hardly played , 14 and 52 hardly played at all. And when 14 did he was in the box. Then there is that other forward, not the one who choked on his stick twice, but that other forward who always seem to make the wrong play in the O zone. Gets the puck and immediately turns it over. Not good.
Well it was an exciting game. That is not the point. And at what cost ?
The fans were gypped.
The players were gypped.
And the salary cap is reason why. IT sucks, and everyone knows it.l
Ken Boehlke
Not a single word on why they couldn’t fill a full team by who? We explained it on Twitter.
THE hockey GOD
don’t read twitter, sorry. Come here for real scoop.
Ken Boehlke
I embedded it in this article.
THE hockey GOD
the twit, tweet ? implies that you are an idiot, you are not an idiot.
oh, there’s more, I see it now. Thanks. Complete an utter mismanagement of the roster.
HEADS ARE GOING TO ROLL there will blood on the ……ice.
Ken Boehlke
Blood on the ice is how we wound up in this situation in the first place (Stephenson elbow)
Daryl
This is neither here nor there, but I would LOVE to know why Stephenson received 3 days and McDavid didn’t get anything??? This is something the NHL really needs to fix. It’s horrible how some are golden boys and some aren’t. I’m surprised Wilson hasn’t been suspended for some of his cheap hits he’s had recently
THE hockey GOD
Gary Bettman Rap (man)
I gotta go, I gotta jet man
what’s up ‘?
I gotta bet , i gotta bet man
what’s the score man?
it’s lock, i tell ya it’s a lock man
What’s a lock, what’s a lock man?
salary cap, it’s the cap man !
i heard thats cr ap , yeah it’s cra p man
it’s a rip
it’s a gyp
I gotta go , i gotta jet man
i gotta bet, i gotta bet man
PS i hate rap but i couldn’t find a normal beat to put this too.
and its was a lock. Man.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Trying to blame loss on Panda? Ridiculous of course.
SO may not be his strong suit, but, we didn’t put one in the net either.
Panda saved our ass in the 3rd. We should have won in OT with the 4-3.
Standings matter now, as they do all season!
Daryl
Doc,
If you are replying to me asking what his record is in SO, that’s not what I was doing at all… I was just wondering what his record was in SO. I agree that Panda had a great game and this loss is not on him
DOC (Go Knights Go)
No, I wasn’t replying to YOUR comment.
Daryl
Not a problem…. I asked what Panda’s record was so I wasn’t sure if you were comment was directly related to mine….
sb
Need Number 1 center for Stone/Pac. PP will then improve. Move Stephenson to Tuch/Glass. Limit the 4th line’s minutes.
sb
The PP will remain weak as long as the D-men rely on the drop back pass. It allows the PK to line four across the blue line. Wanna see how to enter the O Zone on the PP? Just watch Tuch and Stephenson. They carry the puck in under a full head of steam and punch it past the stationary defenders. That works 8 out of 10 times. Get the defenders to stand still, then blow by them.
Dennis
Am I the only one wondering why Stone and Pacioretty sat on the bench in the shootout? I can understand using Tuch but ????