In an exhilarating start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Vegas Golden Knights edged the Minnesota Wild 4-2 in Game 1 of their first-round series at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday night. With this victory, the Golden Knights take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, showcasing their home-ice advantage and determination to advance further in the playoffs.
The Golden Knights, who secured their 30th home win of the season, were led by a strong performance from Tomas Hertl, who opened the scoring in the first period. The game began slowly, but Hertl created a scoring opportunity out of nothing, stripping the puck from Minnesota's Brock Faber after winning a faceoff. He then roofed the puck over the shoulder of Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson at 15:22, giving Vegas a 1-0 lead.
However, the Wild quickly responded, as Matt Boldy, Minnesota's top scorer from the regular season, netted the equalizer just 1:46 later. Boldy received a cross-seam pass from superstar Kirill Kaprizov and fired the puck past Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill, making it 1-1.
Despite the Wild's equalizer, the Golden Knights regained the lead in the second period. They capitalized on their first power play of the series, converting just six seconds into the man advantage. Hertl won the draw and created a screen in front of Gustavsson, allowing Shea Theodore to fake a shot and find teammate Pavel Dorofeyev, who scored his first career playoff goal at 13:33 to give Vegas a 2-1 lead.
Vegas had opportunities to extend their lead, including two breakaways that ultimately went unconverted. Brandon Saad hit the crossbar, and Jack Eichel was denied by Gustavsson, who stayed solid throughout the game. Hill, on the other hand, was sharp, making crucial saves, including stopping a dangerous shot from Marco Rossi in the second period.
The Golden Knights increased their lead early in the third period when Brett Howden scored his first goal of the postseason. Nicolas Roy drew a defender to the center of the ice before finding Howden, who took advantage of an open lane to beat Gustavsson short-side, making it 3-1.
Despite being down by two, the Wild continued to press for a comeback. They finally found success when Boldy struck again, scoring his second goal of the night with a wraparound at 11:46 of the third period. The play was set up when Kaprizov's initial shot was blocked, but Boldy was quick to recover the puck and found a way to beat Hill, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
With the Wild looking for the equalizer, they called a timeout and pulled Gustavsson for an extra attacker with just over a minute remaining. However, the Golden Knights managed to hold off the Wild's pressure and secured a late power play when William Karlsson was fouled by Boldy. This allowed Howden to seal the game with an empty-net goal, scoring with just a tenth of a second left on the clock, finalizing the score at 4-2.
"I thought we got to our game fairly quickly," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We haven’t started great here but we usually get better as the game goes on. I think that happened, a lot of positives in that way."
Hill finished the night with 19 saves on 21 shots, while Gustavsson recorded 23 saves on 26 shots. The goalies played a significant role in keeping the game competitive, with both teams emphasizing defensive play throughout the contest. Vegas blocked 25 shots, showcasing their commitment to protecting their net.
As the Golden Knights celebrated their victory, they acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead. "We’ve just got to narrow our focus on them," Pietrangelo said, referring to the Wild's top line, which proved dangerous throughout the game. "Obviously, they make plays. They had some success tonight but that’s not necessarily a bad thing going into Game 2, being a little more aware of what they’re capable of."
The Golden Knights will look to extend their series lead in Game 2, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena. Cassidy anticipates another tightly contested matchup, stating, "I don’t think either team is going to try to get away from what they do well. It’s too early in the series. That may happen later, but I would expect more of the same." With the series now underway, both teams will adjust and strategize as they aim for a crucial win in the playoffs.
