Blog: Golden Knights beat Wild in Game 7, advance to second round vs. Avalanche

By Justin Emerson

Published Friday, May 28, 2021 | 3 p.m.

Updated Friday, May 28, 2021 | 8:49 p.m.

The sound you heard late Friday night coming from the Strip was 12,156 fans at T-Mobile Arena exploding, shoving aside any narratives that existed coming into the first Game 7 in the building's history.

All week they've heard about the Golden Knights' problem with 3-1 series leads, that this was the third year in a row such a lead needed a Game 7, that if they can't close out the Minnesota Wild how would they beat the Avalanche in the second round?

They may have played a Game 7 three years in a row, but after a 6-2 victory against the Wild, they've won two of them. Vegas scored first, never trailed, Max Pacioretty made a triumphant return with a goal and Mattias Janmark netted his first career hat trick as the Golden Knights held off Minnesota and advanced to the second round.

Vegas will play Game 1 against the Avalanche at 5 p.m. Sunday at Ball Arena in Denver.

The Golden Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead 5:09 into the game courtesy of Janmark's first, a terrific effort play. Nicolas Hague had the next Vegas goal, the first of his postseason career, in the second period.

But the Wild answered each with a goal of their own, not allowing Vegas to extend the lead. Zach Parise and Kirill Kaprizov had Minnesota's goals, and the game remained tied 2-2 until the 7:44 mark of the second.

That's when Pacioretty had his moment. Returning to the lineup for the first time since May 1, Pacioretty collected a Chandler Stephenson feed and one-timed it by Minnesota goalie Cam Talbot for a goal in his first game this series.

This time the answer to a Vegas goal came in the form of another Vegas goal, as Zach Whitecloud picked the corner and added to the Vegas lead, 4-2 after two periods.

The Wild gave everything they had in the third period, but the Golden Knights never allowed them to get into the game. Vegas held Minnesota to just five shots in the third period through the 12:36 mark, and it was then that Janmark scored again, making it 5-2 and sending the Golden Knights to the second round for the third time in four postseason trips.

Janmark swatted his third of the game into an empty net with 3:07 to go to complete the trick.

The Golden Knights led in shots on goal 34-21 for the game.

Check back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage and read below for live updates from the game.

Max Pacioretty scores in return as Golden Knights lead Wild

The second Max Pacioretty skated onto the ice for warmups, there was a feeling something was going to happen. Would bhe score? Was he coming back from injury too soon?

Turned out the former was correct. Pacioretty slapped home a go-ahead goal in the second period and helped the Golden Knights close in a on a Game 7 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Vegas led 4-2 after two periods at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

Nicolas Hague started things early in the second with a long-range wrist shot and one of the best celebrations of his career. He let loose a seemingly innocuous shot, but it weaved its way through traffic and into the top corner of the net. Hague paused for a second, then let loose a full-throated yell and double-handed fist pump as he put Vegas up 2-1 at the 2:05 mark of the second.

The lead was short-lived. The Wild grabbed a power play not long after when Ryan Reaves checked Ryan Suter face-first into the goal post. Reaves was sent off for interference as Suter was slow to get to his feet.

And Minnesota made Vegas pay on the ensuing power play. Kirill Kaprizov netted it at 4:35, collecting a feed from Mats Zuccarello and snapping it by Marc-Andre Fleury for his second goal of the series and the Wild's second of the night.

What happened next was either unbelievable or completely predictable, depending on your point of view. Pacioretty, appearing for the Golden Knights for the first time since May 1, collected a Chandler Stephenson feed and one-timed it into the net at the 7:44 mark of the second. The Golden Knights' leading scorer in the regular season missed 12 games, then scored in his return.

Vegas wasn't done. Hague's goal represented one half of the third pair, so his partner got in on the fun at 13:38. Zach Whitecloud walked in from the right point to the circle, wound up and went bar-down, putting the Golden Knights up 4-2.

Hague's goal was the first of his playoff career. Including his two goals in last year's postseason, Whitecloud now has more career playoff goals (3) than regular season goals (2).

Vegas led 25-16 in shots on goal after two periods.

Golden Knights, Wild tied after one in Game 7

The Golden Knights brought T-Mobile Arena to its feet for its first-ever Game 7 with an early goal, but a late one by the Wild brought them back to ground level.

Mattias Janmark got things going for Vegas but the Wild answered with just over three minutes to go in the frame, and the Golden Knights and Wild went to first intermission in a 1-1 tie on Friday.

The Golden Knights had the first good look of the game just a minute in when the puck bounced off Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon and right to Mark Stone. Stone fired from in close, but Cam Talbot gloved it down. The Wild had a couple of looks soon after, but Shea Theodore got a shin guard on a Nico Sturm offering from the slot and Nick Bjugstad shot low and wide on a breakaway.

And as the action went, the first goal of the game followed. Janmark turned in a terrific individual effort at the attacking blue line, fighting off an Ian Cole attempt to bat down the puck and went in alone on Talbot. He deked to the backhand, then tucked the goal around his outstretched pad at 5:09 to open the scoring.

It was Janmark's first goal against a goalie as a Golden Knights. He did score an empty-netter in the regular season.

In Game 5 the Wild did a good job answering Vegas' opening salvo with a goal on their next shift, then pumping in two more before the period ended. The Golden Knights kept the pressure on this time, keeping the Wild on their heels and holding them to one shot through the first 10 minutes of the game.

Vegas kept the pressure up much of the period, and minus a brief penalty kill, controlled much of the period. The Wild had a chance with about seven minutes to go when Zach Whitecloud slipped and gave the Wild a 2-on-0, but Zach Parise couldn't bury it.

He did on his next opportunity though, and it's still hard to know just exactly how. He positioned himself in front of Marc-Andre Fleury and as Ryan Suter fired one at the net trying to make something happened, but Parise redirected the puck between his legs and Fleury's with 3:11 to go, and tied the game.

Minnesota led 10-8 in shots after the first.

Max Pacioretty returns for Golden Knights in Game 7

The Golden Knights had an ace up their sleeve for Game 7 against the Wild.

Max Pacioretty, who led the team with 24 goals in the regular season and has not played all series, took the ice for warmups ahead of the team's 6 p.m. puck drop at T-Mobile Arena. Pacioretty was injured on May 1 and has not skated with the team since.

Pacioretty took line rushes in usual spot on the top line left wing alongside center Chandler Stephenson and right wing Mark Stone. He is expected to play.

The Golden Knights' lineup based on line rushes is as follows:

Forwards

Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark—Nicolas Roy—Alex Tuch

William Carrier—Patrick Brown—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo

Nick Holden—Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner

'Where else would you rather be?' Golden Knights host Wild in Game 7

The Golden Knights had two chances to eliminate the Wild this week after taking a 3-1 lead in the first round playoff series, but it comes down to Game 7 tonight. The winner gets the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Sunday. Loser goes home.

Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

"All I can look back at is convincing our group that they've done the heavy lifting and to just go out and play, that the preparation's been done," said coach Pete DeBoer, who is 5-0 all-time in Game 7 as a coach. "Go out and enjoy the moment because, I mean frankly, where else would you rather be?"

This is the third Game 7 in the Golden Knights' four-year history. Vegas lost in 2019 in San Jose and last season defeated Vancouver in the Edmonton bubble.

"We know how to play when we're playing good, so I don't think anyone is feeling nervous. The only thing is being excited," forward William Carrier said. "The crowd's always good. I don't think it can be more hyped up than before. I think we've played a lot of games in the playoffs and they're great for us."

The Golden Knights don't expect to have Max Pacioretty, who has not played since May 1, or Tomas Nosek, who has not played since Game 2, but are hopeful about Brayden McNabb and Ryan Reaves. Both opened the day on the NHL's "Players Unavailable Due to COVID Protocols" list, and neither played in Game 6 on Wednesday.

Reaves though took the ice for an optional morning skate, indicating he is off the list and available for tonight. McNabb's status is less clear.

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start for the Golden Knights as he has every game this series. He has allowed 10 goals in six games with a .935 save percentage.

It's also fitting that tonight, one of the most important games in T-Mobile Arena, comes on the three-year anniversary of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2018, arguably the biggest win Vegas has had in that building. The Golden Knights are looking give their fans another memorable victory.

Vegas is 1-2 at home in this series, but are 10-6 all-time at home in the playoffs.

"Hockey players, we're here for a reason," forward Jonathan Marchessault said. "For my part, it's what I'm living for. It's playoff hockey, Game 7, there's no tomorrow, you know? It doesn't matter what happens in the next day or two days or three days, we're just focused on tonight and embracing the challenge."

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1

Series: Tied 3-3

TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-180, Wild plus-160; over/under: 5 (minus-130, plus-110)

Golden Knights (3-3, West Division No. 2 seed)

Coach: Pete DeBoer (second season)

Points leader: Mark Stone (5)

Goals leader: Mark Stone (4)

Assists leader: Nick Holden, Mattias Janmark, Chandler Stephenson (3)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.66 GAA, .935 save percentage)

Wild (3-3, West Division No. 3 seed)

Coach: Dean Evason (second season)

Points leaders: Matt Dumba, Jordan Greenway, Jonas Brodin (3)

Goals leaders: Joel Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman (2)

Assists leaders: Jonas Brodin (3)

Expected goalie: Cam Talbot (2.01 GAA, .937 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Alex Tuch—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark—Nicolas Roy—Keegan Kolesar

William Carrier—Patrick Brown—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo

Nick Holden—Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner