The Vegas Golden Knights (19-8-3) look to complete their fifth back-to-back this season as they take on the Minnesota Wild (20-6-4) for the first time on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT at Xcel Energy Center.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340
NOTES
This is the first matchup between the two teams this season.
The Golden Knights are 15-3-2 against Western Conference opponents this season.
Jack Eichel assisted on Ivan Barbashev’s goal Saturday afternoon to reach 40 points (9G, 31A) in 30 games this season. With this milestone, Eichel became the fastest Golden Knight to reach the 40-point mark in a season, an accomplishment previously held by Mark Stone who did it in 32.
Ivan Barbashev scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season in Saturday's game against the Oilers.
In Saturday’s loss, Noah Hanifin recorded two assists in the second period, reaching 300 career points (65 goals, 235 assists). He is the second defenseman from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to hit this milestone.
Victor Olofsson notched his second goal Saturday afternoon since returning from injury and now owns four points in his last four games and seven points (5G,2A) through his first ten games this season.
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Jack Eichel – One points away from 200 as a Golden Knight
Adin Hill – Two games away from 50 wins as a Golden Knight
Bruce Cassidy – Three games away from having the most wins all-time as a Golden Knight
Mark Stone – Five goals away from 100 goals as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Keegan Kolesar – One goal away from career high (8G)
Tanner Pearson – Four points away from 300 career points
Pavel Dorofeyev – Three games away from 100 career games
Victor Olofsson – Six assists away from 100 career assists
Victor Olofsson – Five goals away from 100 career goals
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 40 points (9G, 31A)
Ivan Barbashev – 30 points (15G, 15A)
Shea Theodore – 24 points (3G, 21A)
Mark Stone – 23 points (6G, 17A)
Tomas Hertl – 22 points (9G, 13A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 17 points (12G, 5A)
Alex Pietrangelo – 15 points (2G, 13A)
LAST TIME OUT
*The Golden Knights fell to the Edmonton Oilers, 6-3, on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place for the first game of a back-to-back. Brett Howden, Ivan, Barbashev, and Olofsson all tallied in a goal in the loss.
2023-24 SEASON SERIES
Vegas posted a 2-1-0 record against Minnesota during the 2023-24 season. The first matchup took place on Feb. 12, 2024, at T-Mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights suffered a 5-3 defeat, their only loss to the Wild that season. The Golden Knights tied up the series in the second matchup on March 30, 2024. William Karlsson netted an assist in the 2-1 victory. In the final encounter on April 12, 2024, the Golden Knights dominated with a 7-2 victory. The win clinched a postseason berth for the sixth time in its seven seasons. Tomas Hertl scored his first goal as a Golden Knight in the win, while Nicolas Roy, Pavel Dorofeyev, William Karlsson, and Keegan Kolesar each found the back of the net in the victory.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
The Minnesota Wild have been strong throughout the beginning of the 2024-25 season as they sit second in the Central Division with a 20-6-4 record and 44 points. Minnesota made NHL history this season by not trailing in regulation for 391 minutes and 31 seconds to start the season for the second-longest streak all-time. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, the Wild reach the midpoint of their five-game homestand. They've split the homestand so far with a 7-1 loss to Edmonton and a 4-1 win against Philadelphia. Kirill Kaprizov has been the team’s leader with 45 points (11 goals, 36 assists), tied for second in the league. Matt Boldy has added 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists), while Marco Rossi has contributed 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists). In net, Filip Gustavsson is tied for third in the league with 14 wins.
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Vegas Golden Knights – 19-8-3, 41 points
Los Angeles Kings – 18-9-3, 39 points
Edmonton Oilers – 18-10-2, 38 points
Vancouver Canucks – 15-9-5, 35 points
Calgary Flames – 15-11-5, 35 points
Seattle Kraken – 15-15-2, 32 points
San Jose Sharks – 11-17-5, 27 points
Anaheim Ducks – 11-14-4, 26 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD...
- Mark the 332nd win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 13-12-1 all-time record against the Wild
KEYS TO THE GAMES
Putting Out the Fires: Head coach Bruce Cassidy highlighted the team's struggles during key stretches in the second period of Saturday’s loss to Edmonton, which ultimately left them with too much ground to recover. With a tough challenge ahead against Minnesota, staying alert and minimizing defensive errors will be crucial. The players are aware that with another back-to-back on the schedule, they must quickly reset and stay focused to finish the road trip on a strong note.
Rise To The Challenge: The Vegas Golden Knights are entering a tough stretch, finishing a challenging three-game road trip with a matchup against another elite team in Minnesota. Ivan Barbashev emphasized the importance of regrouping during this back-to-back and focusing on the details of their game. With the Wild consistently at the top of the league, Vegas know that they need to be prepared to bring their best against top-level competition. The Golden Knights going back to playing their game will be the key to capping off the roadtrip with a win.
