By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Just the facts: Vegas Golden Knights 4 Minnesota Wild 0
VGK goal scorers: Nic Roy at 10:37 of period 1; Alex Tuch at 9:09 of period 2; Mark Stone at 13:41 of period 2; Roy at 18:32 of period 3
Key play: Goal by Minnesota’s Joel Eriksson Ek removed for goaltender interference in period 1 (second goal off the board for Wild in series)
Shots: Minnesota 35 Vegas 18
Attendance: 4,500 at Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul
First round series: VGK lead Minnesota three games to one
All-time VGK playoff record in fourth season: 31-20 in 51 games
Here’s the NHL explanation on the goalie interference by Marcus Foligno against VGK goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Fleury’s agent, Allan Walsh, added his two cents on the review:
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The Golden Knights took control of the game in the middle stanza.
In the second period, Alex Tuch scored on his former team. At 9:08, Tuch scored his third of the series and the Golden Knights opened a 2-0 lead on Minnesota.
Then it was VGK forward Mark Stone scoring a shorthanded goal at 13:41 and the Golden Knights enjoyed a 3-0 lead while killing off a four-minute penalty. Stone’s celebrations match his goals. “I lost my mind” was the way Stone out it of his celebration after the game.
The Knights played Game 4 without forwards Max Pacioretty and Tomas Nosek and defenseman Brayden McNabb.
Fleury was solid again as coach Pete DeBoer is riding the hot netminder. During the 56-game pandemic season, DeBoer rotated Fleury and Robin Lehner every other game. Not so in the playoffs. Fleury has continued his bounce-back season in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Knights might want to add Fleury to the mural at City National Arena, the team’s ice center in Summerlin.
Fleury stopped Eriksson Ek on a breakaway and entered the third period looking for another playoff shutout.
The Golden Knights completed the shutout as Roy added his second of the game into an empty net as Minnesota goalie Cam Talbot was off the ice.
Final from St. Paul (in regulation): Golden Knights 4 Wild 0
It was Fleury’s 16th career playoff shutout.
See you Monday when more than 11,000 fans will be T-Mobile Arena for Game 5. “We’re looking for a big rowdy crowd,” DeBoer said after the game.
Victory flamingo