Golden Knights Reverse Slow Start, Come Back To Defeat Minnesota, 5-2, In Game 3 In St. Paul; Up 2 Games To 1
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Just the facts: Vegas Golden Knights 5 Minnesota Wild 2
VGK goal scorers: Mark Stone (2), Patrick Brown, Reilly Smith, William Karlsson
Second period turnaround: VGK with 22 shots to five for Wild; Overall, VGK outshot Wild, 40-16
Unexpected hero: Nick Holden, assisting on VGK’s second and third goals
First time: It was the Knights’ first regulation game win in Minnesota
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VGK forwards Max Pacioretty and Tomas Nosek were out with injuries, with forward Patrick Brown and defenseman Nick Holden entering the Knights lineup. The team does not explain what the injuries are for Pacioretty and Nosek. Forward Alex Tuch, who scored two goals in the VGK 3-1 win in Vegas Tuesday, started alongside center Chandler Stephenson and winger Mark Stone.
Minnesota, which hasn’t had a playoff series win since 2015, had about 4,500 fans in the venue.
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The Wild’s Ryan Hartman scored just 2:16 into the game to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Then Joel Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 2-0 lead at 8:30 of the first period.
The Knights lacked urgency in their play in period one.
Vegas limited Minnesota to two goals in two games at T-Mobile Arena. But the Wild scored twice in the first half of the first period and had a third score scrubbed because VGK coach Pete DeBoer successfully challenged the Minnesota goal, arguing there was an offside. DeBoer credited video coach ‘Dave” for recognizing the offside and alerting the VGK staff.
Knights fans were not impressed with Vegas’ play in period one.
After the first 20 minutes, Minnesota 2 Vegas 0, with the Knights mustering a mere four shots on goal.
“Overall, not good enough,” VGK forward Ryan Reaves said. “We need more conviction in front of both nets.”
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VGK goalie Marc-Andre Fleury kept the Knights in this game, making some terrific saves tonight.
Then the Knights struck in period two, as Stone took a sweet feed from Stephenson in the slot and beat Wild goalie Cam Talbot at 8:39. Despite being outplayed and outworked big-time, it was a one-goal game. Minnesota 2 Vegas 1.
Stone celebrated big-time, even by the VGK captain’s animated standards.
Then Holden and Brown, two VGKers who haven’t played since April, collaborated on the equalizer goal when a puck fired by Holden off the boards led to Brown knotting the score at two apiece at 15:19 on the middle stanza. After the game, DeBoer revealed Brown tore his hamstring seven to eight weeks ago.
“I was just there in front,” Brown said. He noted Stone and VGK goalie Robin Lehner added some inspiring words after the first intermission to fire up the Knights for the second period.
And the Golden Knights forged ahead when Reilly Smith gave VGK a 3-2, with that man, Holden, adding the assist at 17:33.
After two periods, Vegas 3 Minnesota 2
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VGK’s William Karlsson sealed the deal for the Knights, scoring at 17:36 to give Vegas a 4-2 lead.
“It wasn’t a great period by us,” Karlsson said of the first period. “Two on one and why not shoot it, and I’m happy with that decision.”
An empty net goal by Stone with 59 seconds left completed the scoring.
In the final 40 minutes, the Knights put 36 shots on goal and limited Minnesota to only nine during the last two periods.
Final: Vegas 5 Minnesota 2
PSA
