05/02/25 12:12:00
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05/02 00:10 CDT Vegas moves on with 3-2 win in series clincher, as Wild go
1-and-done yet again
Vegas moves on with 3-2 win in series clincher, as Wild go 1-and-done yet again
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) --- Jack Eichel and Mark Stone made clear they belong
together, on a Vegas first line that can be one of the most potent in these NHL
playoffs.
Eichel and Stone each had a goal and an assist and Adin Hill made 29 saves for
the Golden Knights, who became the first Western Conference team to reach the
second round with a 3-2 victory in Game 6 that ousted the Minnesota Wild on
Thursday night.
"They gave us everything we could handle," Eichel said. "They played so hard."
Shea Theodore scored on a power play early in the first period, Eichel got his
first goal of the series late in the second period and Stone had the critical
late score for Vegas, which will face Edmonton in the second round. The Oilers
beat Los Angeles in six games.
The Wild have lost nine consecutive series, tied for the third-longest streak
in NHL history, according to Sportradar. Their skid of eight straight
one-and-done appearances is tied for the second-longest in the Stanley Cup
playoffs.
The Wild, who last made it out of the first round 10 years ago, got two goals
from Ryan Hartman, including a wraparound with 3:27 left that came 31 seconds
after Stone had given the Golden Knights a two-goal lead.
Stone, who set up Eichel with a long pass out of the zone that was inches out
of reach of the stick of Kirill Kaprizov after he dived to try to prevent the
breakaway that beat goalie Filip Gustavsson, had four points in the last three
games.
"Everyone stepped up at different parts of the series and found ways to
contribute," Eichel said. "That's how you win this time of year."
Neither Stone nor Eichel recorded a single point in the first three games,
thanks in part to the bruising Wild who frequently took away the middle of the
ice and most of the Golden Knights' opportunities to use their speed.
Coach Bruce Cassidy shuffled the lines for Game 4, which helped ignite more of
an attack. The absence of Pavel Dorofeyev in Game 6 prompted Cassidy to reunite
Eichel and Stone in the top trio alongside William Karlsson.
"They got better as the series went on," Cassidy said.
Hartman tied the game for the Wild with 4 seconds left in the first period, a
goal safe from replay review unlike his go-ahead score in Game 5 with 1:15
remaining in regulation that was revoked for an offside call after Vegas
challenged.
The Golden Knights went on to win their second straight overtime decision,
before finishing off the Wild with a third consecutive one-goal win.
"We hear the noise of getting by the first round. We understand it," Wild left
wing Marcus Foligno said. "We really felt like we could've done it this year,
and that's the disappointing part, right?"
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
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