Golden Knights edge Wild in Sport 1 of Western 1st Spherical – NHL.com

Hertl has objective, help for Vegas; Boldy scores twice for Minnesota
Wild at Golden Knights | Recap | Spherical 1, Sport 1
LAS VEGAS — Tomas Hertl had a objective and an help for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 4-2 win in opposition to the Minnesota Wild in Sport 1 of the Western Convention First Spherical at T-Cell Enviornment on Sunday.
Sport 2 of the best-of-7 sequence shall be right here on Tuesday (11 p.m. ET; FDSNNO, SCRIPPS, ESPN, SN360, SN, TVAS).
“I all the time attempt to play my sport,” Hertl stated. “It is sort of a playoff fashion. I am glad I may assist the workforce at the moment with that, nevertheless it’s simply all the time all workforce effort.”
Brett Howden scored twice within the third interval, and Pavel Dorofeyev additionally had a objective for the Golden Knights, who’re the No. 1 seed from the Pacific Division. Adin Hill made 18 saves.
“We received to our sport pretty rapidly,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy stated. “We have not began nice right here, however we often get higher as the sport goes on. I believe that occurred. So, quite a lot of positives that approach. That a part of it was good. … We made extra performs than them on the finish within the offensive zone to safe the win. I believe you will see an identical sport on Tuesday. I do not suppose both workforce goes to attempt to get away from what they do nicely. It is too early within the sequence.”
MIN@VGK, Gm1: Hertl steals the puck from Faber and lifts it into the cage
Matt Boldy scored twice, Kirill Kaprizov had two assists, and Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves for the Wild, who’re the primary wild card from the West.
“[Boldy] was excellent,” Minnesota coach John Hynes stated. “Clearly, he had the 2 targets, however I assumed he was a beast on the puck. He was transferring his ft. He performed the fashion sport, which provides him a very good probability to be a dominant participant within the sequence. He did an excellent job.”
Hertl gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 15:22 of the primary interval. He roofed a shot over Gustavsson’s proper shoulder from the underside of the left circle after lifting the stick and stealing the puck from Wild defenseman Brock Faber.
Boldy tied the sport 1-1 at 17:42, scoring five-hole from the left circle off a cross-ice move from Kaprizov.
Dorofeyev put the Golden Knights again in entrance 2-1 with a power-play objective at 13:33 of the second interval. Shea Theodore faked a slap shot on the level earlier than passing over to Dorofeyev, who scored into an open web with a one-timer from the fitting face-off dot.
Howden prolonged the result in 3-1 at 2:28 of the third interval, scoring quick facet with a wrist shot from left circle on a rush.
“He is been unbelievable all yr,” stated Golden Knights ahead Nicolas Roy, who had the first help on the play. “Take a look at the objective there. I simply noticed he is coming with a lot pace, so that you get it to the surface, and he is goal-scorer ‘Howie’ nowadays. So, enjoyable to look at.”
MIN@VGK, Gm1: Howden buries one prime shelf to stretch the result in 3-1
Boldy scored his second of the sport on a wraparound to chop it to 3-2 at 11:46, however Howden scored a power-play objective into an empty web with one second left for the 4-2 ultimate.
“It was an excellent hockey sport. It was a good one,” Gustavsson stated. “We got here proper again and proper with all of them the best way there. We received that second objective within the third interval to actually put the strain on on the finish there.”
NOTES: Defenseman Zeev Buium, who was chosen with the No. 12 decide within the 2024 NHL Draft, turned the primary participant in Wild historical past to make his NHL debut within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had one shot in 13:27 of ice time. … Hertl scored his twenty sixth profession postseason objective, tying Martin Straka for ninth amongst Czechia-born gamers in NHL historical past.
🔹Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
🔹Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
🔹Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
🔹New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes
🔹St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets
🔹Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars
🔹Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights
🔹Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

source