Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Game 1 Recap (L)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 2 – Vegas 4

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

Matt Boldy scored twice, but Vegas buried both power plays and Brett Howden’s clutch third-period goals buried the Wild in Game 1.


📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Wild Goals: Matt Boldy (2)

• Turning Point: Pavel Dorofeyev’s second-period power-play goal gave Vegas a lead they wouldn’t give up.

• Standout Stat: Vegas went 2-for-2 on the power play, while the Wild went 0-for-1.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves in a tight-checking, physical game.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Boldy Shines Bright: Two goals, including a slick wraparound in the third, showed he’s built for the big stage.

2️⃣ Special Teams Gap: Vegas converted both power plays. The Wild didn’t draw enough penalties—and couldn’t cash in on the one they got.

3️⃣ Debut for Zeev: 19-year-old Zeev Buium made his NHL debut, logging 13:37 and holding his own in a playoff cauldron.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ Brett Howden (VGK • Center): 2 goals, including the game-winner and empty-netter

2. ⭐ Tomas Hertl (VGK • Center): 1 goal, 1 assist, won key faceoffs

3. ⭐ Pavel Dorofeyev (VGK • LW): 1 power-play goal

📊 By The Numbers:
• Shots on Goal: Wild 20 – Golden Knights 27
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/1) – Golden Knights 100% (2/2)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 4 – Golden Knights 2
• Faceoffs: Wild 60% – Golden Knights 40%
• Hits: Wild 54 – Golden Knights 29
• Blocked Shots: Wild 16 – Golden Knights 25
• Giveaways: Wild 9 – Golden Knights 7
• Takeaways: Wild 5 – Golden Knights 5

📰 Around the Team:

• Zeev’s Debut: Just 10 days removed from the NCAA Frozen Four, Buium made Wild history as the first player to debut in the playoffs.

• Injury Report: No new injuries reported.

• Special Teams Watch: Wild penalty kill allowed 2 goals—a concern heading into Game 2.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Boldy’s Milestone: First multi-goal playoff game of his career.

• Faceoff Domination: Eriksson Ek won 21 draws, a career high.

• Hits Record: Wild’s 54 hits were second-most in franchise playoff history.

🔍 What This Win Means:

❗ Series Deficit – Wild trail 0-1 in a best-of-7.

❗ Discipline Crucial – Every penalty matters in a low-scoring, physical series.

❗ Encouraging Signs – The Wild were right there until the final seconds. It’s far from over.

🔥 Next Up:
• Opponent: Vegas
• Time: April 22nd
• Time: 10:00PM
• Location: T-Mobile Arena

📬 Final Whistle:
Boldy brought the heat, and Zeev stepped in like a vet—but the Knights capitalized on every slip. Game 2 looms large as the Wild look to punch back.

Stay tuned to Wild Hockey Insider for your playoff pulse. Let’s get back in this.