AFTER THE GAME
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 1 win down, 15 to go: The Vegas Golden Knights secured a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their 1st Round playoff matchup to victoriously start their chase for the Stanley Cup.
Empty-netter and that’s your game 💯
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) April 21, 2025
Brett Howden’s second goal of the night, the puck crossing the goal line with 0.1 seconds remaining, ices a 4-2 VGK win over the Wild to take a 1-0 series lead. #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/hdDGWsJaDc
With VGK legend Marc-Andre Fleury sitting on the opposing bench, the Knights started the scoring with a Tomas Hertl goal in the 1st period. After the Wild tied the game before the first intermission, Pavel Dorofeyev's first career postseason goal in the 2nd put Vegas back on top.
The Knights extended their lead in the 3rd with a Brett Howden goal. The Wild cut their deficit later in the final frame but the VGK held onto their lead, Howden scoring an empty net goal in the final minute.
The Golden Knights take a 1-0 series lead over Minnesota and will return to The Fortress for Game 2 on Tuesday night at 8 p.m.
BEFORE THE GAME
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 82 regular season games are in the books. Now 16 playoff teams are 16 wins away from a Stanley Cup crown.
The Vegas Golden Knights enjoyed a historic regular season in which they achieved various franchise milestones. But the team says they're just getting started.
"The new season starts now," goalie Adin Hill said in the locker room. "The stakes are a little higher and we want to win another championship.”
After reaching 50 wins on a season for the third time in franchise history, the Pacific Division champions take aim at hoisting the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons.
Coming off a 4-1 win at the Vancouver Canucks in their regular season finale, the Knights returned to City National Arena on Friday for their first practice of the postseason.
"It’s what you play your whole season for," Hill said. "A chance to get into the playoffs and we were able to secure that."
“This is what you play for," said Original Misfit, winger William Karlsson. "It’s a long regular season so it’s nice to get in and it’s the most exciting part of the year."
The Knights will battle Marc-Andre Fleury and the Minnesota Wild in the 1st round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starting on home ice Sunday night at 7 p.m.
"We had a great season, third in the league, and this locker room is awesome," center Tomas Hertl said. "We have so much fun off the ice but on the ice, same thing. Everybody’s excited because this is what you worked for. You play 82 games to get to this point in the season and we can enjoy some fun. But when it’s Sunday, 7 o’clock, everybody is ready to roll.”
Unlike last season when the Knights ultimately fell to the Dallas Stars in a 7-game series, Vegas enters this postseason with a very clean bill of health.
"We are healthy," head coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Everyone’s able to go. I wouldn’t say anybody this time of year is completely 100%. You got nagging things but nothing that would prevent a guy from playing. We don’t have to deal with that. At least, knock on wood, not yet.”
WATCH | 1-on-1 with Bruce Cassidy ahead of the NHL Playoffs
"It's all really good," Hertl said. "Everybody is healthy. Last year was with lots of guys coming back from injury and stuff."
The Golden Knights went 3-0-0 against the Wild in their season series, the sweep highlighted by Jack Eichel's hat trick in the teams' last matchup on March 25.
Minnesota won four of their last five contests to make the playoffs. With their eyes on the prize, the Knights aren't looking past the Wild.
“It’s a really good team," Hertl said. "Especially at the end of the season, one of the best teams in the league. Now they’re fully healthy so we can expect everybody to be there against us. We have to be ready.”
“It’s a tough opponent," Karlsson said. "We’ve been feeling good for a while so hopefully we can take that feeling to the playoffs and just know we’re a good team."
"Any given day we can beat anybody.”
Pre-game coverage for Game 1 starts at 6:30 p.m. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
See the full schedule for Round 1 of the Playoffs here.
Where to Watch
All seven games for the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round will be broadcast on Vegas 34 "The Spot" and streamed on the KnightTime+ app.
Vegas 34 (KMCC) can be found as Channel 34 on Cox Cable and DIRECTV, and as Channel 34.1 for viewers with an antenna.
For streaming services, Vegas 34 can be found on the DIRECTV streaming app or on FuboTV.
