The Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild squared off at T-Mobile Arena on December 29, 2025, in a much-anticipated Western Conference clash. Both teams entered the matchup looking to solidify their playoff positioning, with the Golden Knights holding a 17-8-11 record and the Wild not far ahead at 23-10-6. The tension in Paradise, Nevada, was palpable as puck drop approached at 7:08 p.m. PST, with fans eager to see if Vegas could snap a recent skid or if Minnesota would extend their hot streak on the road.
Coming into this third game of a four-game homestand, the Golden Knights were hungry for a turnaround. They had managed just one win in their previous five contests, most recently falling 6-5 in a shootout against the Colorado Avalanche on December 27. That game stung—Vegas had blown two separate two-goal leads and surrendered a late tying goal with the Avalanche net empty. Despite collecting a point, the Golden Knights were getting tired of what could only be called "loser points," especially with several top players sidelined by injury.
Missing from the Vegas lineup were Jack Eichel (day-to-day with illness), Shea Theodore (upper body), Adin Hill (lower body), and William Karlsson (lower body). The absence of these key contributors forced the Golden Knights to rely on their depth, and in recent outings, secondary scorers like Alexander Holtz, Ben Hutton, and Colton Sissons had stepped up. In fact, over their last four games, Vegas had managed to notch 18 goals, showing that their offensive engine was still humming even as the defense struggled to hold leads late.
On the other side, the Minnesota Wild arrived in Vegas riding high after a dramatic 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets. The Wild had trailed in the third period of that contest but found a way to tie the game with less than 30 seconds left in regulation before sealing the victory in OT. That type of resilience had become a hallmark of Minnesota’s season, and with a 10-6-1 record on the road, they were proving to be a formidable opponent away from home.
Monday’s game also marked the Wild’s first visit to T-Mobile Arena since being eliminated there by the Golden Knights in the 2024-25 playoffs. Memories of that six-game series—where Filip Gustavsson went 2-3-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage—were still fresh. Would the Wild exorcise those postseason demons?
Goaltending was a focal point, with both teams turning to their number ones. Carter Hart started for the Golden Knights, making his fourth consecutive appearance. Hart entered the night with a 4-1-3 record, a 2.76 goals-against average, and a .899 save percentage in eight games this season. His record against the Wild stood at 4-2-1, though his 3.37 goals-against average and .884 save percentage in those matchups suggested Minnesota had given him trouble before. Notably, Hart hadn’t faced the Wild since March 2023—a whopping 1,012 days ago.
Filip Gustavsson got the nod for Minnesota, continuing a goalie rotation that had seen him start seven of the last 14 games. Gustavsson, 27, boasted a 12-8-4 record, a 2.49 goals-against average, and a .912 save percentage across 24 games this season—good for 14th in the league. He’d been especially hot lately, going 5-0-1 in his last six starts with a stingy 1.67 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage, including one shutout. Since November 16, Gustavsson was 8-1-2 with two shutouts, showing he was in peak form for this crucial Western Conference tilt.
The lineups reflected both teams’ current realities and recent transactions. Vegas’s top line featured Ivan Barbashev, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone, while Alexander Holtz, Tomáš Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev filled out the second line. Reilly Smith, Brett Howden, and Braedan Bowman made up the third, with Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons (just two goals shy of his 100th career tally), and Keegan Kolesar rounding out the attack. On defense, Brayden McNabb paired with Kaedan Korczak, Noah Hanifin with Ben Hutton, and Jeremy Lauzon with Zach Whitecloud. With Akira Schmid backing up, the Golden Knights dressed the same 18 skaters from their previous shootout loss to Colorado.
Minnesota’s lines had been shuffled at the morning skate. Kirill Kaprizov, Danila Yurov, and Mats Zuccarello comprised the top unit, with Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy on the second. Vinnie Hinostroza, Ryan Hartman, and Vladimir Tarasenko formed the third line, while Marcus Foligno, Nico Sturm, and Yakov Trenin completed the forward group. The defense was anchored by recent blockbuster acquisition Quinn Hughes, who’d come over from Vancouver on December 13. Hughes, paired with Brock Faber, had already racked up seven points in seven games with the Wild, helping Minnesota to five wins in that span. Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, along with Jake Middleton and Zach Bogosian, rounded out the blue line. Jesper Wallstedt backed up Gustavsson, and the Wild scratched Matt Kierstad, David Jiricek, Tyler Pitlick, and Ben Jones, with Daemon Hunt out due to a lower-body injury.
Special teams were expected to play a pivotal role. Vegas’s power play was clicking at 25.2% (tied for fifth in the league), while their penalty kill sat at 81.6% (tied 13th). Minnesota’s power play was also potent at 23.1% (ninth), but their penalty kill lagged at 77.1% (24th). Faceoff stats favored Vegas (52.4% win rate) over Minnesota (46.6%). Goals per game were nearly identical: Vegas at 3.17, Minnesota at 3.03. Defensively, the Wild had the edge, allowing just 2.59 goals per game compared to the Golden Knights’ 2.92.
Several storylines added intrigue. Tomáš Hertl was riding a five-game point streak, tallying two goals and seven points over that stretch. Ben Hutton had tied his career-high in goals (five) in 40 fewer games than his previous best. For the Wild, the addition of Quinn Hughes was a game-changer, and his offensive dynamism from the blue line had already made a difference. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, were still searching for a full 60-minute effort after recent defensive lapses cost them dearly.
With both teams jockeying for playoff seeding and eager to prove themselves against a top Western Conference rival, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. As the action unfolded at T-Mobile Arena, fans witnessed a battle marked by depth scoring, strategic adjustments, and goaltending heroics. Whether the Golden Knights could finally seal the deal or the Wild would continue their road dominance remained the pressing question as the game played out. One thing was certain: the Western Conference race was heating up, and both teams showed they were ready for the challenge.
