Heading into a pivotal Game 5 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, the Vegas Golden Knights found themselves in a 2-2 deadlock. But even on a Monday night, T-Mobile Arena buzzed with playoff intensity, and when it mattered most, the biggest names on the ice delivered.
Through the series’ first four games against Minnesota, the Golden Knights’ top guns had been unusually quiet. In fact, they only had one assist between the two of Mark Stone and Jack Eichel.
In contrast, Minnesota’s dynamic duo of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy looked the part of playoff standouts. Arguably the most dangerous pair in the playoffs, they had consistently found ways to impact the game.
Related: Golden Knights Take Down Wild 3-2 in Overtime
With Game 5 now behind them, Eichel and Stone finally delivered, pushing Vegas to a crucial win and a 3-2 series lead. Here’s what that means for the team’s stars and the rest of the roster heading into Game 6 this afternoon.
Eichel Rises When Vegas Needs Him Most
Eichel was in peak form during the regular season, posting a career-high 94 points and leading Vegas to its fourth Pacific Division crown in eight years. But through the first four games of the series, his impact was silent, having just a single assist, a far cry from his regular-season dominance.
In Game 5, however, it was a different story. Eichel completely flipped the script, showing off his ability to distribute the puck and his hockey IQ. This was something head coach Bruce Cassidy has preached throughout the season.
“I certainly trust them to be able to adjust,” Cassidy said. “I’ve said many times, it’s a high hockey-IQ bunch” (from ‘Why the Golden Knights, a ‘high hockey-IQ bunch,’ are comfortable in tight series vs. Wild,’ The Athletic, 4/28/25).
Eichel first assisted on Vegas’ first goal, which was a nice feed to William Karlsson shorthanded and gave the Golden Knights the lead. Later in the period, he also dished one off to Stone, who got on the board with his first goal of the playoffs (we’ll touch on this later).
“They’re elite, world-class players and they’ve got to get going,” Cassidy said. “To me, there’s a little bit of, ‘Hey, you know what? The other team’s top guys are all over the (score) sheet. It’s time’” (from ‘Golden Knights need Jack Eichel, Mark Stone to step up as Wild’s stars shine,’ The Athletic, 4/23/25).
With Eichel finally making his mark in Game 5, Cassidy will be counting on that version of his star center again in Game 6, as Vegas looks to close out the Wild and punch its ticket to Round 2.
Stone Finally Gets on the Board
It hasn’t just been Eichel struggling to leave a mark, Stone also had a quiet start to the series, unable to generate much offense through the first four games. That narrative quickly shifted in Game 5, as Stone finally made his presence felt in all three zones.
Stone scored the team’s second goal to give Vegas the 2-1 lead going into the second period. The playoffs are a completely different beast compared to the regular season, so it makes sense that some players may take longer to get in ‘the zone,’ but this could mean the Golden Knights captain making a bigger difference in Game 6.
“We have smart players on this team,” Eichel said. “Guys are easy to play with. You can shuffle the lines up when need be and you can get a good result. Sometimes that’s what happens. You need to shuffle things up and suddenly you catch a spark.”
Stone, who has been the captain since the 2020-21 season, will look to play a key role in Game 6, where the Wild are on the brink of elimination.
Golden Knights Stars’ Need to Stay Sharp in Game 6
With their Game 5 victory, the Golden Knights are now just one win away from advancing, and they’ll have a chance to seal the deal in Game 6. To do it, they’ll need another full-team effort, with Eichel and Stone building off the momentum they finally found in Game 5. Puck drop is set for 4:30 PDT today in St. Paul, Minnesota.
