In a dramatic turn of events, the Vegas Golden Knights managed to stave off potential elimination by the Minnesota Wild, eventually securing a 3-2 overtime victory that places them one game away from progressing past the Western Conference first round. The game on Tuesday night in Las Vegas saw the Knights benefiting from a controversial call that was initially upheld but subsequently overturned through a successful Vegas challenge.
Coach Bruce Cassidy of the Golden Knights acknowledged the crucial nature of the challenge, noting, “It saved our (butt).” With just a minute remaining in regulation, the Golden Knights’ fate appeared uncertain, but reversing the call provided them with a fresh opportunity and set up their victory in overtime.
The series now stands at 3-2, with Vegas heading to St. Paul for Game 6 on Thursday night. The Golden Knights, who had an impressive season record in the Pacific Division and won the Stanley Cup in 2023, aim to reach the second round for the fifth time in their franchise’s history. Meanwhile, the Wild will attempt to prolong their season and avoid another first-round exit, an outcome they haven’t avoided since their last series win in 2015.
Wild coach John Hynes remarked on the game’s unpredictable nature: “The game was another 50-50 game. Sometimes things work in your favor and sometimes they don’t.” The competitive tension continues as they prepare for their next encounter.
For the Golden Knights, William Karlsson and Mark Stone contributed goals, with Jack Eichel providing two assists after a quieter performance in the series’ previous games. In the net, Adin Hill made 20 saves.
Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy scored goals, with Joel Eriksson Ek assisting both. Kaprizov has consistently scored in all five games of the series, and Boldy leads all players with five postseason goals. Initially, Filip Gustavsson, who made 23 saves, was Minnesota’s go-to goalie, but an illness saw Marc-Andre Fleury stepping in during the third period. Fleury’s appearance gave him the record of 18 years of playoff participation as a goalie, surpassing NHL legends Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur.
The game reached a climactic moment when a perceived goal by Ryan Hartman of the Wild was ruled out upon review for being offside, nullifying what seemed to be the game-winning goal with just over a minute left of play. This legal challenge left the door open for Brett Howden to score the winning goal in overtime, marking his third goal of the series based on a well-executed pass from Tanner Pearson.
“(Pearson) drawing two guys to him left me open,” Howden explained. “They play tight defensively, so for them to have a quick breakdown like that and (Pearson) to make a great play on his backhand, too, just puts me alone in front there. I just tried to get it off quick.” This strategic play highlighted the Golden Knights’ ability to capitalize on sudden opportunities.
Earlier in the game, both teams exchanged special teams goals within a rapid 13-second span during the same power play. A strategic play by Eichel and Karlsson resulted in a shorthanded goal for Vegas, an advantage quickly countered by a Mats Zuccarello assist to Kaprizov.
Later, Mark Stone’s goal put Vegas back in the lead, a position they maintained until Boldy’s third-period equalizer set the stage for overtime. Notably, this match marked the Golden Knights’ 100th playoff game, a milestone matched only by the Edmonton Oilers within their first eight seasons.
The Golden Knights continue their impressive streak, having now won 41 consecutive playoff games when scoring three or more goals.