Entering the third period of Game 6, the Vegas Golden Knights carried a dominant 31-4-3 record when leading after two periods, and that trend held up. They closed out the Minnesota Wild with a 3-2 win, punching their ticket to the second round and ending Minnesota’s hopes of advancing past Round 1 for the first time since 2015.
Minnesota had been one of the league’s top teams before injuries disrupted their regular-season momentum in December, so it was no surprise that they pushed Vegas to the brink of a Game 7.
Related: Golden Knights’ Stars Stepped up When They Needed Them Most
The Wild’s stars, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, were electric through the first four games of the series, but momentum stalled late. Vegas clamped down in Game 6, holding both off the scoresheet. Here’s a look at the stars, those who answered the bell from the get-go.
Golden Knights’ Stars Answer the Bell
Ahead of Game 6, I noted that the Golden Knights’ stars were finally stepping up when it mattered, and they doubled down on that narrative in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday night. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, who were quiet through the first four games of the series, made their presence felt in a big way. With an early four-minute power play setting the tone, Shea Theodore opened the scoring, and Eichel and Stone each followed with goals of their own to power Vegas to the win.
Eichel’s first goal of the playoffs couldn’t have come at a better time, giving the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead late in the second period. Stone set it up with a perfectly placed chip pass that landed right on Eichel’s stick, springing him on a clean breakaway. Minnesota’s Brock Faber had pinched moments earlier, and Vegas made him pay for it.
Nonetheless, the bigger picture here is Vegas’ stars are slowly but surely getting involved, something that head coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t see before Game 5. Stone delivered again later in the second, this time with a highlight-reel, baseball-style swing out of midair to give the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead and the eventual game-winner. With goals in back-to-back games, Stone is heating up at just the right time for Vegas.
With the Edmonton Oilers up next, the Golden Knights need all they can get from their stars, knowing what a difference they can make, and they clearly did that last night.
Adin Hill Stands Strong in Net
Before the season wrapped up, Adin Hill signed a six-year extension to stay in Sin City, giving the Golden Knights a long-term anchor in net. After back-to-back 5-2 losses in Games 3 and 4 and a 2-1 series deficit, questions began to mount. Those doubts didn’t last long. Hill responded with two massive performances, followed by a clutch showing in Game 6, where he backstopped Vegas to a 3-2 win. He delivered timely saves all night, keeping the Golden Knights in control.
“The bigger the spotlight, the more fun it is to play,” Hill said. “The building was going tonight. It’s fun playing on the road in a playoff atmosphere.”
Hill stopped 29 of 31 shots in Game 6 and will look to deliver similar performances against the Oilers in Round 2.
A Farewell to Marc-André Fleury
It was fitting that the last game of Marc-Andre Fleury‘s historic NHL career took place at T-Mobile Arena against his former team, the Golden Knights. Though he didn’t see action in Game 6 and only briefly appeared in Game 5 after Filip Gustavsson exited due to illness, Fleury now hangs up the pads as one of the greatest goaltenders the game has ever seen.
During his illustrious career, Fleury captured three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017) and added a Vezina Trophy in 2021, the only one of his career. A first-overall pick who delivered on every expectation, Fleury leaves the game as a surefire Hall of Famer and one of the most beloved goalies of his era.
He ranks second all-time in regular season wins with 575, along with 92 playoff wins, which ranks fourth. The list goes on and on, and he’ll go down as one of the best goalies to play the game. Fleury is Hall of Fame eligible in 2028 and is more than certain to be inducted as he’s made an impact everywhere he’s been, both on and off the ice.
Oilers Next on Agenda for Golden Knights
With the Wild now in the rearview mirror, next on the agenda are the Oilers, who took down the Los Angeles Kings in six games. They have beaten the Kings in Round 1 in four consecutive seasons, another brutal end to the campaign for LA. The Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl show will be on full display in Las Vegas soon, with the schedule for Round 2 yet to be determined.
