On Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights (8-4-4) played the second half of a back-to-back on the road against the Minnesota Wild (9-7-4). They again allowed the first goal and spent most of the contest playing catch-up. They tied the game in the third period on the power play, but took a penalty in overtime and fell 3-2.

The first five minutes of the first period were tightly contested, with neither team recording a shot on goal for over three minutes. Both teams had their legs early despite playing the second half of the back-to-back. 

The Wild struck first, scoring on their first shot of the game. The puck took a weird bounce off Brett Howden’s stick and went right to Mats Zuccarello in the right circle. Carl Lindbom came out to challenge, and Zuccarello threaded a cross-ice pass to give Joel Eriksson Ek an empty net to shoot at.

The Golden Knights responded and found the equalizer on the power play at 15:14 in the first. Tomáš Hertl ran a pick play, giving Mitch Marner space to walk right down Las Vegas Blvd. Filip Gustavsson kicked out Marner’s shot, but Pavel Dorofeyev was there to bang home the rebound.

In the second period, the Golden Knights looked a half step behind. The Wild were far and away the better team– they were faster, stronger on pucks, and won more of their battles. The Golden Knights were fortunate to exit the period down by only one.

The Wild restored their lead at 9:05 in the second period. They cut through the neutral zone, and Marcus Foligno won a foot race to work the puck in deep. Danila Yurov touched it ahead to Yakov Trenin, who evaded Ivan Barbashev and stuffed it in under Carl Lindbom’s pad.

The Golden Knights started the third period on the power play, but couldn’t do anything with it. The Wild didn’t give them much, and they struggled to generate any sustained pressure. 

At 5:02 in the third, Matt Boldy took a penalty for playing the puck with a broken stick. When the top power play unit failed to generate any looks, the Golden Knights sent their second unit onto the ice. Reilly Smith got the puck with time and space and ripped a shot past Filip Gustavsson top-shelf. 

The rest of the third period was extremely uneventful. The Golden Knights outshot the Wild 9-7, but both teams played tentatively. In an obviously next-goal-win game, neither team wanted to make the critical mistake. 

In overtime, both teams took turns playing keep-away. There were only three shots on goal, and the Wild recorded all three. 

With 29 seconds remaining, Shea Theodore was called for a hooking penalty, and the Wild scored on the ensuing power play. Mats Zuccarello found Kirill Kaprizov at the right dot, and Kaprizov ripped a one-timer that beat Carl Lindbom five-hole.

7 Golden Knights Observations

1. For the 12th time this season, the Golden Knights allowed the first goal of the game. 

2. After four starts, Carl Lindbom is still looking for his first NHL win. He isn’t NHL-ready, and that was abundantly clear tonight. He was out of position on the first goal, and an NHL goaltender doesn’t allow the second. Lindbom is just 22, and the talent is there. But he’s not ready yet.

3. For the first time this season, the Golden Knights’ second power play unit scored a goal. Usually, the first unit stays on the ice for 75% of the power play. Tonight, Bruce Cassidy sent his second unit out there with over a minute remaining, and they rewarded him for it.

4. Cassidy started Brett Howden for the second consecutive overtime. When Tomáš is an option– 59.6%in the face-off dot this season– sending Howden out to take the opening draw makes you look like a genius if it works, and a… not genius if it doesn’t. However, he’s 2-for-2, although tonight’s win was more of a tie-up.

5. Bruce Cassidy vehemently disagreed with the penalty call on Shea Theodore. He really gave it to the officials and mockingly applauded them. 

6. Ben Hutton entered the lineup in place of an injured Jeremy Lauzon. He played just 7:44. Kaedan Korczak, too, played just 9:53– his lowest TOI of the season. 

7. The Golden Knights will be thankful that there is no 3-on-3 overtime in the postseason, because they’re 1-6 in contests that require extra time this season. However, they have to actually qualify for the postseason. There’s still plenty of time, and I don’t think they’ll miss the playoffs. But it’s worth noting that right now, they’re on the outside looking in.