Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas (Game 4 Recap)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 3 – Vegas 4 (OT)

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

A golden opportunity slips away — Barbashev’s OT goal ties the series as the Wild head back to Vegas for a crucial Game 5.


📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Ivan Barbashev (OT backhand scramble goal at 17:26)

• Turning Point: Nicolas Roy’s power-play goal tying the game early in the third.

• Standout Stat: Wild lose their first game all season when leading after two periods (previously 31-0-0).

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson stood tall with 42 saves, keeping Minnesota alive deep into OT.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Missed Opportunity: The Wild had the lead after two periods but couldn’t close it out, breaking their perfect season record.

2️⃣ Penalty Trouble: A four-minute high-sticking penalty led to Vegas’ momentum-shifting power-play goal.

3️⃣ Battle-Tested Gustavsson: Despite the loss, Gustavsson’s 42 saves kept the Wild in it and proved he’s still a major asset this series.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ P. Dorofeyev (VGK • Left Wing): 1 assist, strong playmaking presence

2. ⭐ T. Hertl (VGK • Center): 1 goal, 1 assist, pivotal in the comeback

3. ⭐ F. Gustavsson (MIN • Goalie): 42 saves, .913 SV%

📊 By The Numbers:
• Shots on Goal: Wild 32 – Golden Knights 46
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/2) – Golden Knights 40% (2/5)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 10 – Golden Knights 4
• Faceoffs: Wild 50.7% – Golden Knights 49.3%
• Hits: Wild 28 – Golden Knights 34
• Blocked Shots: Wild 23 – Golden Knights 23
• Giveaways: Wild 17 – Golden Knights 11
• Takeaways: Wild 6 – Golden Knights 9

📰 Around the Team:

• Injury Watch: Marcus Johansson missed Game 4 with a lower-body injury; his status for Game 5 remains uncertain.

• Line Changes: Vinnie Hinostroza slotted in, and Hynes juggled the lines, pairing Zuccarello with Hartman and Foligno.

• Fourth Line Flash: Trenin’s heavy forecheck set up Rossi’s first-period goal, but ice time was limited late.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Historic Loss: The Wild’s first loss this season when leading after two periods.

• Gustavsson’s Heroics: Multiple sprawling pad saves kept the Wild alive late into regulation and overtime.

• Series Reset: The best-of-seven now turns into a best-of-three, with two of the possible three games in Vegas.

🔍 What This Win Means:

❗ Road Test Ahead – Wild must now steal another win in Vegas to stay alive.

❗ Pressure Mounts – Another early series lead slips away, a haunting playoff trend the Wild need to overcome.

❗ Keep Fighting – Despite the heartbreak, the Wild remain confident with their overall play and goaltending.

🔥 Next Up:
• Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (Game 5)
• Time: Saturday, April 29
• Time: 8:30PM
• Location: Home Ice

📬 Final Whistle:
A gut-punch overtime loss, but the series is far from over. The Wild have shown they can battle — now it’s time to prove they can close. 

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