Recap: The Wild took the first lead of the game 5:43 into the game. Vegas struggled to get shots on net and trailed 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes.
The Golden Knights had more chances in the middle frame but were unable to even the score. After 40 minutes Minnesota held a 1-0 advantage.
The Wild doubled their lead in the final period leading the Golden Knights to play more aggressively in the offensive zone. However, the home team defended well and tucked in an empty net goal to secure the victory.
The Golden Knights record drops to 34-27-4 falling 3-0 in Minnesota. Vegas will try and get back on the winning track tomorrow night in Winnipeg. Puck drop against the Jets is set for 5 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights were under siege for a good portion of the 1st period. They were able to generate a lot more zone time in the 2nd, but were really still reliant on shots off the rush for their most dangerous chances. In the end, it just wasn’t enough offensively as things dried up in the 3rd. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
The football season is over and the spotlight has officially been handed over to the Golden Knights and the NHL. It’s the time of year when fringe fans become real fans and the mainstream networks pay a little more attention. It’s a great time for the league. The playoff chase begins, divisional battles heat up, and teams are already beefing up for a potential matchup with the Golden Knights.
Jack Eichel’s highly-anticipated debut is not only creating news here in Las Vegas but across the league.
Calgary has proven this season that they can hang with Vegas. Now with the addition of Tyler Toffoli, the Flames offense became a lot more dangerous. The former LA King reunites with his old coach Darryl Sutter and brings a little kryptonite with him to Calgary. In last year’s semifinal loss to Montreal, Toffoli registered four points in six semifinal games against the Golden Knights. The former Canadien adds confidence and playoff success to a team that erased the Golden Knights 6-0 last week.
Why let someone else enter the race? I do think they were talking about the possibility of making it a Ben Chiarot trade too. At the end of the day Calgary decided ‘this is the guy we wanted, our coach knows him and we’re going out and getting him.’ This is exactly what they need, a scorer. He’s one of the best scorers available. –Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts Podcast
Now that Captain Mark Stone is on LTIR the playoff roster picture looks a lot clearer. We all know the drill, there would have been cap casualties had the captain been fit to play. Stone’s contract relief might be enough to create a loaded playoff roster that could force other clubs to make improvements.
Recap: The Golden Knights looked to shake off Friday’s loss by hosting the top-seeded Minnesota Wild. Vegas took the first lead of the game with Zach Whitecloud’s fourth goal of the season. Both offenses kept generating, but Minnesota tied the game with one second left in the period. The game was tied 2-2 hearing into the intermission.
Minnesota took their first lead of the game :09 seconds into the middle frame. Whitecloud evened the score on his second goal of the game and Max Pacioretty regained Vegas’ lead scoring his tenth of 2021-22. The home team held on to a 4-3 edge after two periods of action.
The Wild forced a tie early in the final period but Mark Stone gave the Golden Knights a 5-4 advantage with their second PP goal of the game. Alex Pietrangelo sealed the win with a late empty net score.
The Golden Knights record improves to 16-11-0 after defeating the Wild 6-4. Vegas hits the road for four game East Coast road trip. Their first stop will be in Boston to face the Bruins. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 PM.(Recap by Jason)
Analysis:The Golden Knights were far from perfect tonight, but they succeeded in areas they’ve had issues in recently, namely special teams. Lehner had a shaky game and the defense in front of him was not great until the final 20 minutes of the game. They don’t ask how, they just ask how many and for Vegas, that’s two in a row this season against the Wild. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild game at T-Mobile Arena.
Recap: The Golden Knights got off to great start getting help from two rookies. Forwards Paul Cotter and Jonas Rondbjerg each scored their first NHL goals to give Vegas a 2-0 1st period lead.
Jonathan Marchessault stretched the Golden Knights advantage to 3-0 late in the middle frame for his seventh goal of the season.
The Wild made a run in the final period scoring two to get within one. Laurent Brossoit stood tall in net down the stretch to preserve a 3-2 victory.
The Golden Knights record improves to 8-6-0 winning their second game in a row. Vegas’ prepared for their next opponent on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks. Puck drop at The Fortress is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Vegas continued their string of strong defensive play early in this game and were aided by a pair of career-first goals from Paul Cotter and Jonas Rondbjerg. They stretched the lead to three, which apparently is not a great lead to have in T-Mobile Arena this year. Luckily, the PK was great, Brossoit was even better, and they hung on in what was a “gutsy” win. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild game at T-Mobile Arena.
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Recap: The Golden Knights were attempting to clinch a Game 7 for the first time at T-Mobile Arena. Mattias Janmark gave Vegas the early edge 5:09 into the game. The Golden Knights held the 1-0 lead for most of the period when Minnesota’s Zach Parise tied the game. The elimination game was even after the opening 20 minutes the game.
The scoring picked up in the middle frame. Vegas regained the lead 2:05 in but Minnesota tied it 2-2 a couple of minutes later. From that point on the Golden Knights controlled the game. In his first game since May 1st, sniper Max Pacioretty scored the go-ahead goal and defenseman Zach Whitecloud followed up with his first of the postseason.
Vegas held a 4-2 edge going into the final period and found a way to add to their lead. Janmark tallied his second and third goals of the game-ending any chance for a Minnesota comeback. Marc-Andre Fleury was superb in net stopping 19 of the Wild’s 21 shots.
With their 6-2 victory the Golden Knights clinch the series with the Wild and advance to the Second Round of the NHL playoffs. Vegas will travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche for another best of seven series. Game 1 is scheduled for 5:00 PM PT on Sunday. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Game 7 started like a lot of them do, in a complete state of chaos. Vegas handled the madness much better winning puck battles all over the ice and hopping on the issues Minnesota was creating for themselves. A huge broken play goal by Janmark settled the Golden Knights down but a penalty gave the Wild life. Minnesota came into their own at the end of the 1st and tied it. The 2nd was everything and more you want to see out of Vegas in any game against Minnesota. They made it tough on the Wild to get zone time and as Minnesota pressed harder and harder Vegas took their mistakes and ran with them. The three-goal 2nd period gave VGK the cushion they needed to save their season. Now, they must dig deep to play four games better than they’ve played any of the seven against the Wild to beat the Avalanche. Game 1 is key with VGK coming off the huge win and Colorado sitting waiting for the last week. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild Game 7 at T-Mobile Arena
What was different in how VGK created transition? (Opted to not write this article, because upon further review the answer was mostly Minnesota failures.)
Blueprint to beating Colorado
Carp’s Sunday column
Film study of Colorado’s offensive trick that VGK must be aware of
Ken’s Three VGK Stars *** Nic Hague ** Zach Whitecloud * Mattias Janmark
The Wild clawed their way back into this series by being smart with the puck in the offensive zone and forcing Vegas to score hard goals. They've completely abandoned it tonight and VGK have done exactly what they should with it, bury chances.
The number of unforced errors leading directly to scoring chances has been amazing. The pressure of Game 7 is real. VGK are handling it better than MIN, but not by much.
We’re all about Game 7 on this one. We look at the style of play we expect from Vegas, dive into the goalie decision, consider the doomsday scenario, make predictions, and more.
When Kelly McCrimmon called Pete DeBoer to talk about becoming the next head coach of the Golden Knights, DeBoer’s reason why he was the right man for the job rested on one thing.
I’ve taken two teams to Stanley Cup Finals. I went to a Western Conference Final last year. We’ve played 60 playoff games in the last four years in San Jose so I think probably my biggest pitch would be I feel like I know what buttons to push to have success at that time of year. -DeBoer at VGK intro proess conference on 1/16/20 in Ottawa
It’s that time of year and there plenty of different buttons for him to press.
Whether we’re talking about tangible or intangible decisions, DeBoer has to make the right ones in Game 7 tomorrow night, or the castle the Golden Knights have built for themselves will instantly look much more like a house of cards.
If the Golden Knights lose this game, everything will be questioned. From the decisions made in Game 7 itself to those made across the series back to the ones made in the regular season and as far back as the offseasons before it that have brought us here. How good is this team actually? Is the whole thing a mirage? Have they gone completely in the wrong direction from where they were when they lifted the Campbell Bowl in Winnipeg in 2018?
It’ll all be on trial… if they lose.
But, if they win, the blown 3-1 series lead vanishes, and everything looks just like it did less than a week ago with the focus on upending a great Colorado team and continuing on towards the ultimate prize.
So, quite simply, the man who sold himself on knowing how to win these games has to do it.
His resume speaks for itself in this situation. DeBoer boasts a perfect 5-0 record in Game 7’s, he’s never been on the losing side of a series in which his team has led by two games, and he’s won 11 of the 17 series in which he’s coached. Plus, his team in Vegas, in this very same situation, blanked the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 in Game 7 last year and played an excellent game in doing so.
The past is the past though, the only thing that matters now is this very next game, and he must be perfect in every choice he makes.
Which goalie does he pick? Keep the lines the same or mix them up? Force the injured guys back in? Look for different in-game matchups? Balance the time on ice or keep leaning on the stars?
Every single one has to be right, and the only way to make them right is for the Golden Knights to score at least one more goal than the Wild at T-Mobile Arena on Friday night.
This situation is exactly why he’s here. This is the moment Pete DeBoer sold the Golden Knights on and now he must once again deliver. He must deliver off the ice in preparing his team to be at their best, and he must deliver on the ice with the right answer to every question posed above.
It is unacceptable for this team to lose in the 1st Round, as it was in 2019 when they were robbed against the San Jose Sharks. A lot has happened since then, a lot that was supposed to make the Golden Knights better. The time has come to prove they are better. Win and move on. Lose and the house of cards collapses.
Welcome to Game 7. They hired the savior, now he must save them.
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Recap: The start of Game 6 in Minnesota was tight and difficult to possess the puck. Each team had less than 10 shots on net and both goaltenders were strong in net.
The 2nd period was even tighter. Vegas got quality chances from several players but couldn’t convert one into a goal. Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t see much action but stopped all five of the Wild’s shots.
Minnesota took control of the game in the final 20 minutes. The Wild scored three unanswered goals to force a Game 7 on Friday night.
After their 3-0 loss the Golden Knights are tied up with the Wild 3-3 in their seven-game series. The deciding Game 7 is Friday night in Vegas. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Well, the Golden Knights are headed into a familiar place, being up 3-1 in a series and now needing a Game 7 win to avoid embarrassment. Game 6 was a tight-checking game that just never saw the Golden Knights generate any offense. They didn’t get enough from the dangerous areas, they couldn’t get enough shots through, and the forecheck was non-existent throughout. A few moments went against Vegas and with it they now face this same scary proposition for the 3rd straight season. All is not lost though, VGK have played great in both Game 7’s they’ve participated in. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild Game 6 at Xcel Energy Center
Back to Game 7
Ken’s Three VGK Stars *** Nick Holden ** Zach Whitecloud * Nic Roy
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has been as advertised against the Minnesota Wild. He leads the team in goals, points, average minutes by a forward and has shown his true leadership this postseason. However, it’s still not enough.
In order for the Golden Knights to advance past Minnesota, Stone will need to continue supplying Vegas with offense. With his linemate Max Pacioretty out it adds stress on the 29-year-old captain to come through night in and night out in the playoffs. And unfortunately when Stone can’t produce offense the team doesn’t fare well.
Starting with Stone’s first postseason as a Golden Knight in 2018, the winger has tallied 34 points in 32 playoff games. His average points per game is 1.06, up from 0.77 before the 2021 postseason began. However, the bulk of Stone’s postseason points come in Game’s 1-4. His production drops 50% in the last three contests of a seven-game series.
Stone Postseason Points Per Game w/ VGK
Games 1-4: 20 Games, 24 Points = 1.20 PPG Games 5-7: 9 Games, 5 Points = 0.60 PPG
Vegas’ leader shouldn’t have to take on all of the responsibility but when he doesn’t score in one of the last three games the Golden Knights record is 1-6. That’s a problem.
This trend goes back to the regular season. Vegas heavily relied upon Pacioretty and Stone’s nightly offense to scoop up two points. When the two top liners came up dry, often so did their team. That can’t happen tonight or going forward in the playoffs.
In Game 5, Stone registered a goal in a losing effort. Even when he’s producing a point per game his club has come out on the losing end. Ultimately, most of the pressure falls on Stone to create more offense when Pacioretty is unavailable and Alex Pietrangelo continues to underachieve. Against Minnesota, the captain has made up for the absence of other’s production.
My guess is Stone will be active tonight and hard to keep off the scoresheet.
In this Twitter Space broadcast, we look forward to Game 6, look back on the mistakes that cost Vegas Game 5, and discuss the goalie situation once again simmering under the surface.
Alright friends, I had fun guest tweeting for Ken. Please send him all of your complaints so he can deal with them when he lands back in North America in a few hours. If you are so inclined to follow my (much less entertaining) normal tweets, catch me @connorfields11
