Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights Recap (L)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 2 – Vegas 3

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

A pair of Hartman goals weren’t enough as Vegas’ experience and special teams edge ended the Wild’s playoff run in Game 6.

📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Mark Stone’s mid-air deflection goal at 16:02 of the third sealed the deal for Vegas.

• Turning Point: Jack Eichel’s breakaway goal late in the 2nd period flipped the momentum.

• Standout Stat: Wild went 0-for-2 on the power play while Vegas capitalized on a key man-advantage.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson returned and made 21 saves, battling illness to keep the game close.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Hartman’s Grit: With 2 goals, Ryan Hartman capped off a standout series and nearly sparked a last-minute comeback.

2️⃣ Special Teams Letdown: Vegas converted 1 of 4 power plays; Minnesota came up empty again with the man advantage.

3️⃣ Familiar Finish: For the 9th straight time, the Wild exit in the first round—despite a healthy lineup and hard-fought effort.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐ M. Stone (VGK • RW): 1 goal, 1 assist, GWG deflection

2. ⭐ R. Hartman (MIN • RW): 2 goals, 5 shots, 2 PIM

3. ⭐ A. Hill (VGK • G): 29 saves, .935 SV%

📊 By The Numbers:

• Shots on Goal: Wild 31 – Golden Knights 24
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/2) – Golden Knights 25% (1/4)
•Penalty Minutes: Wild 8 – Golden Knights 4
• Faceoffs: Wild 48.3% – Golden Knights 51.7%
• Hits: Wild 23 – Golden Knights 33
• Blocked Shots: Wild 13 – Golden Knights 24
• Giveaways: Wild 12 – Golden Knights 11
• Takeaways: Wild 5 – Golden Knights 3

📰 Around the Team:

• Healthier, but not Whole: After battling injuries all season, the Wild finally had their core back, but chemistry came too late.

• Franchise Futility: Nine straight series losses and no second-round appearance since 2015.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Hartman Finishes Strong: 6 points in the series, 2 goals in Game 6 alone.

• Power Play Problems: 0-for-2 on the night, 0-for-6 across the last 3 games.

• Close But Crushed: All 4 losses were by one goal, including two in overtime.

🔍 What This Win Means:

❌ Season Over – The Wild fall short of the second round again, with another bitter early exit.

🧩 Core Questions – With expiring contracts and aging vets, the offseason brings roster questions.

🛠️ Hope From Adversity – The final games showed a healthier, hungrier Wild with something to build on.

🔥 Next Up:
• Offseason Work Begins
• Draft & Development Camp ahead
• Stay tuned for Free Agency and Roster Moves

📬 Final Whistle:
The Wild showed heart, resilience, and flashes of brilliance—but ran out of time and chances. A long summer begins, but Wild fans know… there’s always next year.

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