Howden's OT goal gives Golden
Knights a 3-2 win over the Wild and 3-2 series lead
[April 30, 2025]
By MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS (AP) — It appeared in the closing two minutes that the
Vegas Golden Knights would be heading back to Minnesota on the brink
of elimination.
But in a crazy sequence in which the Wild's potential winning goal
was at first upheld on video review and then overturned on a Vegas
challenge, the Golden Knights had new life and forced overtime.
Brett Howden then scored 4:05 into the extra period Tuesday night to
give the Golden Knights a 3-2 victory and put Vegas one game away
from advancing out of the Western Conference first round.
“It saved our (butt),” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said of
the offside challenge. “We've got a minute left in the game. I'm not
saying we couldn't have come back, but that's tough, right?”
The Golden Knights take a 3-2 series lead back to St. Paul for
Thursday night’s Game 6. Vegas, which had the second-best record in
the Pacific Division this season and won the Stanley Cup in 2023,
will try to advance to at least the second round for the fifth time
in their eight-year history.
Minnesota will attempt to avoid another first-round series exit. The
Wild's last series victory occurred in 2015 when the Wild made the
second round. They could already have wrapped up this series, but
the Golden Knights have won back-to-back overtime games.
“The game was another 50-50 game,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “It's
the playoffs. Sometimes it goes well for you and sometimes it
doesn't, but we've got another one coming up, and there's where our
focus is.”
William Karlsson and Mark Stone also scored goals for the Golden
Knights, and Jack Eichel had two assists. Eichel had just one assist
in the first four games. Adin Hill made 20 saves.
Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild and Joel Eriksson
Ek had assists on both. Kaprizov has at least one point in all five
games and nine for the series, and Boldy leads both teams with five
goals this postseason. Filip Gustavsson recorded 23 saves on 25
shots before being replaced by former Golden Knight Marc-Andre
Fleury to open the third period.
The Wild said Gustavsson had an illness. Fleury, who remains a fan
favorite, made six saves, but didn't face his first shot until 6:15
remained in the third period. This playoff appearance gave Fleury a
goalies record 18 years competing in the playoffs, breaking a tie
shared with Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur.
[to top of second column] |
Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) reacts after scoring
the winning goal against the Minnesota Wild during overtime of Game
5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Minnesota
Wild, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
The Wild appeared on the verge of winning when Ryan
Hartman put the puck past Hill with 1:15 left. Officials checked the
replay to see if Hartman kicked in the puck, but after ruling it a
good goal, the Golden Knights challenged that Gustav Nyquist was
offside. Video review upheld the challenge, overturning the goal and
keeping the game tied.
That set the game for Howden’s winner and third goal of this series,
taking a Tanner Pearson pass from below the goal line and scoring
from just inside the left circle.
“(Pearson) drawing two guys to him left me open,” Howden said. “They
play tight defensively, so for them to kind of have a quick
breakdown like that and (Pearson) to make a great play and on his
backhand, too, just puts me alone in front there. I just tried to
get it off quick.”
The teams traded special teams goals 13 seconds apart in the first
period on the same power play. Eichel passed to Karlsson on a 2-on-1
breakaway for a shorthanded goal, and the Wild then answered when
Mats Zuccarello connected with Kaprizov on a cross-ice pass to even
the score.
Stone put the Golden Knights back in front with 6:36 left in the
first period.
Minnesota had a great opportunity to again tie the game when
Zuccarello skated out of the penalty box and was alone with Hill.
But Zuccarello lost the puck, and the Golden Knights remained in
front.
That's the way the score stayed until Boldy scored in front of the
net 3:31 into the third period to tie the game.
This was the Golden Knights' 100th playoff game. Only the Edmonton
Oilers played in that many in their first eight seasons.
Vegas has won 41 consecutive playoff games when scoring three or
more goals.
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