By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Just the facts: Vegas Golden Knights 6 Minnesota Wild 2
Series: Vegas wins in 7, advances to play Colorado in second round Best-of-7
VGK goal scorers: Mattias Janmark 3, Nic Hague, Max Pacioretty (game-winner), Zach Whitecloud
Shots on Goal: Vegas, 34; Minnesota, 20
Takeaway: Minnesota ran out of juice, Pacioretty return was a spark in first playoff series-clinching win at home for VGK
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With the Vegas Golden Knights’ season hanging in the balance, the Knights came out flying in front of a pumped-up crowd of 12,156 at T-Mobile Arena in the first game 7 in the building.
The VGK’s Mattias Janmark made his best individual effort as a Knight to score on Cam Talbot about five minutes into the game. It was unassisted.
The Golden Knights controlled the flow of the game for the first 10 minutes, but then Minnesota started getting back in this win-or-go-home game.
The VGK left veteran forward Zach Parise all alone in front of Marc-Andre Fleury and it cost Vegas a goal. Parise scored his second goal of the series with about three minutes left in the first period.
After one period, Minnesota and Vegas were tied at one.
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Three years ago to the day in Vegas Golden Knights history.
The Golden Knights took back the lead early in period two when defenseman Nic Hague scored on Talbot from the point. He scored a little more than two minutes into the middle stanza to give VGK a 2-1 lead.
But the VGK’s Ryan Reaves took a bad penalty and Minnesota made Vegas pay on the power play when top rookie Kirill Kaprizov scored on Fleury to knot the game at two at 4:35 of the middle period.
The Knights have missed Pacioretty, the team’s top goal-scorer. In his return from an unknown injury, he showed why he’s so dangerous around the net by receiving a fast-paced pass in the low slot and fired home the Knights’ third and decisive goal past Talbot to restore the VGK one-goal advantage at 7:44 of period two.
Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore has had a quiet series, but he made a nice move to feed fellow defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who fired home a pinpoint wrist shot past Talbot and the Knights were leading 4-2 at 13:38 of a second period dominated by the VGK.
After two periods: Knights 4 Wild 2
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The Golden Knights played solid defensive hockey to protect a 4-2 lead and then struck thanks to a feed from a forechecking Nic Roy to Jansmark, who flipped a shot over Talbot’s shoulder to lengthen the lead to 5-2 with 7:24 left in the third period.
Minnesota pulled Talbot with 4:56 left, down by three goals.
Janmark dove to poke in this third goal into an empty net with a few minutes left and that sealed the Knights’ ticket to a Best-of-7 second round showdown with the Colorado Avalanche.
Final: Vegas 6 Minnesota 2
VGK win in seven.
Final stats, from ESPN:
The NHL’s take:
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