Recap: The Golden Knights looked to make it two in a row after the All-Star break with a trip to Minnesota. Nic Roy gave Vegas the first lead of the game with his 10th goal of the season.
Vegas’ offense exploded in the middle frame. The Golden Knights extended their lead by receiving goals from Alex Pietrangelo, Paul Cotter, Reilly Smith and Jack Eichel. Minnesota got one back but trailed 5-1 heading into the second intermission.
Things turned sour for the Golden Knights in the final period. Goaltender Logan Thompson injured himself stopping a shot and had to be replaced by backup Adin Hill. Vegas was able to hold off Minnesota from getting any closer and finished off the Wild 5-1.
The Golden Knights record improves to 31-18-4 defeating the Wild 5-1 in Minnesota. Vegas will finally head back home after a six-game road trip to face the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop against the Ducks is scheduled for Noon. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights came out and smoked the Wild in every facet of this game. Minnesota coming off a back-to-back with travel and struggling to score goals and VGK made them look like it. The night was clearly marred by Logan Thomspon going down in the 3rd period. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
- The winning doesn’t have to stop after Dad’s Trip
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Jonathan Marchessault
** Paul Cotter
* Jack Eichel
Here's the video of the injury to Thompson. pic.twitter.com/lHA6ulNd4k
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 10, 2023
The Golden Knights are now 7-0-1 on their Dad's trips.
12/8/17 at NSH: 4-3 W (SO)
12/9/17 at DAL: 5-3 W
12/29/18 at LAK: 4-1 W
12/30/18 at ARI: 5-1 W
12/19/19 at VAN: 5-4 OTL
12/22/19 at SJS: 3-1 W
2/7/23 at NSH: 5-1 W
2/9/23 at MIN: 5-1 W— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 10, 2023
Another 2-on-1 and Eichel zings in VGK's 5th goal and 4th of the period.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 10, 2023
Richie-Rich
#1, #2 & #3 Stars – VGK DAD’S!
2-0 after the break. Great start. Did not expect this. Hope they keep it up. Cotter is looking very good and Eichel finally breaks out.
Dad’s need to be going to every remaining game.
Hockey nuts
Can we get all the dads to move to Vegas?
Pistol Pete
I did expect it R-R. I really did. Knew they would step up without Stone after the break.
Jailbird
Another solid win. Kraken and others in Div lose also tonight. But, could be very costly with LT leaving games with possible knee injury? Hope not, the kid played great!
DeezNutz
I hope Allan Walsh was watching
Hockey nuts
Can we get all the dads to move to Vegas?
Mark
Man, hope LT is ok, I’m very worried !!
Pistol Pete
“We’re team that when we manage the puck we’re pretty good”- Cassidy
Keep doing it then.
Bobby
Let’s keep it going at home now. No letdown!
Pistol Pete
Fleury got pissed when Eichel beat him. He beat him Gallant’s last game in Buffalo too. Anyways, tough night for the old guy MAF. Got beat by a good team tonight. A division leader.
JV
Just guessing but figure Patera gets called up to back up Hill Sunday because of cap. Next game after isn’t until Thursday, so we should have a good idea about Thompson by then.
Pistol Pete
With Stone on LTIR they have about $12m in cap space. Patera’s GAA and SV% are better than Brossoit’s but his W/L is not. I like to think Patera is better than Brossoit just for the fact that he’s younger and homegrown but Brossoit has NHL experience and Patera does not.
JV
Looking at Cap Friendly, Stone is still listed on active roster. I know they can be slow updating.
DOCDG
The real reason to bring up Patera now is that Broissoit or Hill would have to go through waivers when Thompson is back. We would risk losing him with no return. We could carry 3 goalies on the roster but that would not be ideal.
Pistol Pete
MAF was not a happy camper when Eichel beat him with that smoking shot. Eichel also scored on him during Gallant’s last game which was played in Buffalo. Tough game for MIN and Fleury against the division leading Vegas.
TS
Pp, I felt kinda bad for MAF. Found myself apologizing for the beatdown.
How about Hague and Reavo exchanging ” compliments” during a scrum on ice? Does Hague have some MOJO going?? Hope so!
Hill should be ok w/o LT awhile…HOPE. I’m concerned, but not to panic. Yet.
GREAT team effort!
THE hockey GOD
same ole MAF
tried to psych out VGK wearing those
gold pads
didn’t work !
Ice Warrior
MAF is what…38? You can’t outplay Father Time. Wish he would retire – as much as I enjoyed the game it still was tough to watch his beatdown.
Sorvino
Ice Warrior, I’m sorry it was tough for you to watch the MAF beatdown! You must be a Minnesota Wild fan. I hope you feel better tomorrow.
Do you know what I found tough to watch? Marc Andre Fluery letting in 4 goals on a 5 minute power play that San Jose had in game 7 of the 2019 playoffs. That literally made me sick!!
Marc Andre Fluery coughing up the puck to Montreal’s Josh Anderson which played an absolutely massive part in Vegas losing that series. That particular game was in the bag.
Yesterday watching Marc Andre Fleury play like the piece of shit that he is was absolutely fantastic. I recorded the game and I am going to watch it again.
THE hockey GOD
^^^^^he’s baaaaack !! ^^^ full steam ahead !
Sorvino
ROTFL
Ice Warrior
Nope, VGK fan all the way. I just don’t hold grudges like you do.
Anand
Marc Andre Fluery is horrible. I almost broke my ribs from laughing so much!!
Where was his stupid smile that apparently has super powers to make teams better.
He has a had very long career but he is now disrespecting the sport that I love so much. He needs to retire and this has nothing to do with him being a piece of shit human being. Filip Gustavsson is outplaying Fleury badly.
Let’s hope that Logan Thompson is not out too long.
knights fan in minny
wild got stomped i was sitting 1 section over from the wild bench flower was seething mad sitting on the bench after being pulled good team total effort we cant lose logam if they want to make a run at mier they better get on it soon the devils want him bad canes in on it to i think canes and devis have more to offer there was a good amount of vegas fans at the game talked to some of them nice folks
TS
Kfim. I heard the ” KNIGHTS!” call several times. Camera showed Maf’s frustration as he sat it out. Time to hang up the skates…
knights fan in minny
flower will be alright the first 2 vegas goals were deflections not much he could do on those
Sorvino
Thanks for that knights fan in minny. MAF seething makes me enjoy it more then ever!!
Blitz
Two good, well played, games in a row. As a fan, this was much needed. Definitely needed something to keep the faith and get the spirits back up. 3 game home stand coming up. I am hoping the Jekyll/Hyde home/road thing is over and this team can just be consistent and play the game they are capable of, win or lose.
Not super excited about the LT injury. I highly doubt the MRI is for precaution. Something is up. Even if not long term I am guessing it is for a while. Sux. It is good that LB is still around and he’s had some time with Henderson. Should be able to get some emergency time to see if he can fill the void or if we need to spend more capital on a goalie.
Sorvino
You shouldn’t be losing faith when the team had a bunch of injuries. They’ve been much healthier the past two games which is why they have been better. Pistol Pete is just about one of the smartest guys on here and has been saying that all along. When they are healthy, they win. Also, they’re not fucking robots. They are allowed to go on slumps. We just witnessed a bad slump. They’re probably not good enough to do serious damage in the playoffs without Mark Stone but it’s still going to be a fun ride.
THE hockey GOD
pistol pete is a downer, and only posts when the team loses
Pistol Pete
Thank you for the kind words Sorvino. I might be fanciful with my go all in at the deadline (or pre-deadline) strategy it’s just that I have come to understand it has been Foley all along who has been behind this approach. I go along with him. Look, this team has finished up in the standings their entire history so they don’t get low draft picks. Even last year, their worst result when they finished just outside the playoffs at #9, their pick, which went to Buffalo, was #16. Not saying it would not be good to have had #16 but the reality is the only way Foley could have built this roster following year one was by trading picks to buy veteran talent. The only reason TBL got Stamkos and COL got MacKinnon was by finishing dead last in the conference. Vegas has not done that.
They figured out they weren’t winning a Cup first with Stastny and then Stephenson as top line center. When you can’t grow your own with #1 picks like TBL and COL, you go into the marketplace and buy Jack Eichel who was both overpriced and something short of the equivalent of Stamkos and MacKinnon but still the 1C they needed imo. This team if they stay reasonably healthy stands a chance against the best teams in the conference this season imo but they need to go back into the marketplace to replace Stone. So far Timo Meirer has been relatively injury free and at 26 is almost exactly the same age as Eichel. A good core to build on.
Sorvino
Sounds good to me Pistol Pete
Henderson's Finest
Can someone answer why Mark Stone is not on LTIR yet? Seems like a no-brainer.
Ken Boehlke
There’s no benefit to it right now. If they need to add salary to the roster (which they may if Thompson is hurt) then they’ll do it, but until they need the cap space, it does no good putting Stone on LTIR.
Henderson's Finest
Thanks Ken!
THE hockey GOD
my *our* constitutional rights don’t stop
when
“your” feelings start !
Sorvino
Logan Thompson is out week to week
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2571826