ST. PAUL, Minn. — Mark Stone and Jack Eichel showcased their formidable talent on the Vegas first line, proving they are a powerhouse as the NHL playoffs unfold. Both players tallied a goal and an assist, supporting the Golden Knights to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night, thus becoming the first team from the Western Conference to progress to the second round. Goalie Adin Hill contributed significantly with 29 crucial saves.
“They really challenged us,” Eichel noted. “Their tenacity was remarkable.”
The scoring opened in the first period thanks to a power play goal by Shea Theodore. Eichel then netted his first series goal late in the second period, while Stone added a vital goal in the closing moments for Vegas. Their triumph set them up against Edmonton in the upcoming round, following the Oilers’ victory over Los Angeles in six games.
The Wild are in the midst of a tough streak, having now lost nine straight series—a stretch tied for the third-longest in NHL history according to Sportradar. Moreover, their eight consecutive early playoff exits have notched them a dubious second place in Stanley Cup playoff records.
Although the Wild couldn’t find a way past the first round for the first time in a decade, Ryan Hartman still made a notable impact, scoring twice. His wraparound goal with 3:27 left in the game came just 31 seconds after Stone’s goal had put the Golden Knights in a more secure position.
Stone, with four points across the last three games, got Eichel going with a long pass that narrowly escaped Kirill Kaprizov’s attempted block, leading to a breakaway that beat Minnesota’s goalie, Filip Gustavsson. Reflecting on the playoff efforts, Eichel stated, “Our contributions came from everyone at different stages, and that’s the mindset you need to advance at this time.”
Initially, neither Stone nor Eichel had scored in the series’ first three games. The Wild’s strategy to stifle Vegas was effective in constraining their speed. However, a crucial lineup adjustment by Coach Bruce Cassidy in Game 4 gave Vegas an offensive push. The absence of Pavel Dorofeyev in Game 6 saw Cassidy reunite Stone and Eichel with William Karlsson, and this alignment paid dividends.
“They improved as the series advanced,” Cassidy acknowledged.
Hartman had leveled the score just before the end of the first period, a goal that stood firm unlike his disallowed late winner in Game 5, which had been overturned due to an offside call following a Vegas challenge. Ultimately, the Golden Knights clinched their second overtime win in succession and proceeded to close out the series with a third narrow one-goal victory.
“We understand the anticipation surrounding our first-round performances,” Wild’s left wing Marcus Foligno remarked. “We genuinely believed this year was our opportunity, which makes this all the more disheartening.”