Wild even series 1-1

Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as Minnesota evened its playoff series with a 5-2 victory in Game 2.

By Jess Myers, Pioneer Press – April 23, 2025

LAS VEGAS—If you return from a four-day trip to Vegas able to say you broke even, you’re ahead of the game.

After as dominating a 30-minute stretch of hockey as they have played this season, the Minnesota Wild are heading home from Sin City having broken even in the first 120 minutes of their first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The duo of Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov led the way as the Wild took advantage of a rash of Vegas turnovers, jumping out to a commanding lead on the way to a 5-2 win in Game 2 of this best-of-seven, sending the team back to Minnesota with the series knotted 1-1.

Game 3 of the series is Thursday evening in St. Paul. Opening faceoff is 8 p.m. CT.

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, left, and center Gustav Nyquist (41) celebrate Foligno’s goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. | AP Photo/David Becker

Anchoring the team’s top line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Boldy, Kaprizov had two goals, while Boldy had a goal and an assist. Filip Gustavsson stopped 29 shots for the Wild, who led 4-0 halfway through the game, quieting the normally raucous crowd inside the rink that locals call “the Fortress.”

Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello scored goals, as well, as Minnesota beat Vegas for the first time this season in their fifth head-to-head meeting. Adin Hill had 12 saves for the Knights.

Gustavsson was busy right from the start, turning aside a pair of Vegas shots in the game’s opening minute, including one off of his mask. After four minutes the shots were 5-0 Knights, but the Wild pushed back, hard. Hill had to stop Ryan Hartman on a solo rush to the net, then brought the crowd to its feet when he denied Joel Eriksson Ek with a glove save on what looked like a sure goal shot from the side of the net.

“That was big. We had some great saves at that point early in the first period. We had some big blocked shots, which is a key to the game, as well,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “So, Gus was sharp early, which was important, I think, to get our feet under us a little bit, and that’s what you need from a goaltender in those moments. And then we had some guys that really committed to getting some big blocks, as well.”

The Wild struck first near the midway point of the opening period when Kaprizov’s long lead pass found Boldy a half-stride ahead of two Vegas defenders at center ice. Boldly held off his pursuers long enough to slip a low shot past Hill, giving Minnesota its first lead of the series.

“That may have been the best pass I’ve ever seen. I didn’t have to do much,” Boldy said, noting how quickly Kaprizov has returned to form after missing half the regular season with an injury. “He’s a special player, obviously. You see all the plays he makes, how hard he works. But for him to have the poise, and to make that pass right on my tape, it was unbelievable.”

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) skates against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague (14) during the third period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. | AP Photo/David Becker

The Wild doubled the lead less than 2 minutes later when Hartman’s pass from behind the net found Foligno uncovered at the top of the crease for a quick shot and Foligno’s first playoff goal. It was 3-0 before the period ended after Marcus Johansson’s pretty backhand pass from just inside the blue line caught Zuccarello in stride. The veteran wing went around a Knights defender and to the net alone, flipping a wrist shot past Hill’s glove.

It was a play that began when a Vegas defender tried to deliver a hard check on Zuccarello along the boards and missed, giving Minnesota a numbers advantage heading into the offensive zone.

Not content with their three-goal advantage, the Wild pounced on another Vegas turnover early in the second, keying a two-on-one rush with Kaprizov and Boldy. Carrying the puck with the option to pass or shoot, Kaprizov took the second option and the puck slipped under Hill’s pad after the goalie made the initial save for a 4-0 Minnesota lead.

Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy praised Minnesota for taking advantage of opportunities in the game.

“That’s where we had to be better tonight. We made some mistakes out there handling pucks that came back the other way,” Cassidy said. “That to me is fixable; handle the puck a little cleaner at the top of the blue line and maybe you start spreading them out. That’s what started happening in the second period.”

Vegas made a push midway through the second, pinning the Wild’s fourth line in their zone for more than a minute, with two Minnesota players missing their sticks, and forcing Gustavsson to make a trio of saves before the puck deflected out of play.

But the home team kept pressuring and got on the board with just under eight minutes left in the middle frame when defenseman Noah Hanifin zipped a wrist shot past Gustavsson’s glove from 15 feet out. Vegas outshot Minnesota 11-3 in the second, but the Wild emerged up by three goals.

But the home club kept chipping away at Minnesota’s lead, with Tomas Hertl getting his second goal of the series early in the third, not long after Hill had stuffed an Eriksson Ek scoring chance on the doorstep.

The “let them play” approach by the on-ice officials continued, with just one penalty called in the game. The Wild got the game’s lone power play in the third period but did not get a shot on Hill. Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hauge, who was not called for a cross check to the face of Hartman in Game 1, got away with a clear punch to Kaprizov’s face late in Game 2.

“There’s not a lot of errant sticks or retaliation or loose sticks or bad penalties. … I think the refs have done a good job,” Hynes said. “I think both teams have been disciplined and haven’t given the refs an opportunity to call a lot. I think the penalties that have been called are fair, but I think that’s probably a hallmark of each team, and I think you can play physical without taking penalties.”

Kaprizov’s revenge came on the ice as he hit an empty net with a 190-foot shot from beyond the far goal line for the clincher.

PHOTO: Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, left, and center Gustav Nyquist (41) celebrate Foligno’s goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. | AP Photo/David Becker