VGK’s Painful Loss: Golden Knights Drop 1-0 Overtime Decision to Minnesota Wild Sunday Afternoon; Attendance Announced at 8,683
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Just the facts: Minnesota Wild 1 Vegas Golden Knights 0, 3:20 into OT
Shots on Goal: VGK 42 Wild 30
Attendance: 8,683 (50 percent capacity)
Back in action from injuries for VGK: Ryan Reaves, Tomas Nosek, Alec Martinez
Missing: Max Pacioretty
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The Golden Knights’ nemesis, the Minnesota Wild, inflicted more pain Sunday.
The Wild defeated the Golden Knights in overtime, 1-0, on a goal by Joel Erikkson Ek.
The Golden Knights were perfect in OT decisions during the 56-game pandemic season, winning nine of nine overtime games. But remember, those regular season OT games are 3-on-3, while it’s 5-on-5 during the playoffs.
The Knights faced the hard-hitting Minnesota Wild, a team that delivered more than 70 hits against the VGK and slowed down the fast-skating Knights in the middle of the ice and in the neutral zone. And it’s a team that had dogged the Golden Knights since the franchise entered the NHL in 2017. The Wild won five of eight regular season games against the VGK and now lead the Knights, 1-0, in the Best-of-Seven Stanley Cup Playoffs Round One.
Both netminders were outstanding. Minnesota’s Cam Talbot stopped all 42 VGK shots on goals.
Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury flashed some great leather in several spectacular saves against the Wild. But Ek beat him from point-blank range only 3:20 into the OT.
The Golden Knights missed winger Max Pacioretty, a top goal scorer who is known for scoring in OT, too.
The Knights outplayed Minnesota for the majority of the game, but VGK will need to find ways to score or the series will end like the conference finals did in the bubble against Dallas last season.
The Knights’ Twitter after the game:
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Fleury started and has participated in 15 straight Stanley Cup series going back to 2007.
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Hey, look who’s cranking the siren to start period two — Gene Simmons and his KISS pals.
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The Golden Knights partnered with Immunize Nevada and Smith’s supermarkets in hopes of immunizing 200 people from 9:30 AM-12 Noon. At 10:15 AM, about 30 people received COVID-19 vax shots before today’s Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild first round Game 1 match-up.
Kelly Wranik, community health worker II with Immunize Nevada, explained the vaccination pop-up clinic.
Here are two Golden Knights fans, Kim and Ashley, who thought it was convenient to get their COVID-19 shots before the VGK-Wild playoff game.
For the first time, Golden Knights sponsors like Toyota and the Review-Journal had marketing tents on the plaza outside the arena. The Knights have had announced attendance of 7,567 for games in May.
The CDC recommended that people who are vaccinated do not have to wear masks. Before the game, it was about 50/50 regarding fans wearing masks on the plaza.
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Good to see arena public address announcer Bruce Cusick back in action.
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