LAS VEGAS – The Wild might have picked up some respect from their two-game stop in Vegas, with the Golden Knights heaping praise on their opponent – even predicting the Wild will be playoff-bound.
But the team didn't earn much more than that.
In fact, it fell further behind Vegas for the top spot in the West Division after getting clipped 5-1 by the Golden Knights Wednesday in front of 2,605 at T-Mobile Arena to end the team's seven-game point streak.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was terrific, making 36 saves to help put four points between the Golden Knights and the Wild, who entered the week only one point back of the No.1 seed after a six-game run.
A late-game collapse Monday that saw the Wild blow a two-goal lead in the third period before fading 5-4 in overtime not only cost the Wild their win streak, but it also resulted in Zach Parise being a healthy scratch for the first time in his Wild tenure; Parise was exposed on the game-tying goal with under a minute to go in the third during an extended shift.
Despite the miscues, Vegas still came away impressed by the Wild.
"We didn't really know what to expect because they had a lot of changes in their lineup," Jonathan Marchessault said before Wednesday's rematch. "But they play a fast game. They were really good, and honestly we gotta be ready for them because they're legit. They're a really good team."
But it was the Wild who didn't seem prepared for the Golden Knights when the puck dropped.
Vegas picked up from where it left off, crashing the Wild zone and testing goalie Cam Talbot from different angles.
And just 2:03 into the first, the Golden Knights already had a lead after Alex Tuch (who scored the tying goal Monday) buried a Cody Glass feed off the rush past Talbot.
The Wild had chances to even the score, getting two power plays but failing to convert. Overall, the Wild went 0-for-3 with the man advantage after not receiving any power plays the previous game – the first time that's happened this season. Vegas was 0-for-2.
Rookie Kirill Kaprizov, in particular, had a few looks that sailed over the net, and captain Jared Spurgeon had a shot that led to the save of the night – a sprawling glove stop by Fleury to keep the puck out seconds before the first period ended.
Only 5:03 into the second, Marchessault made it 2-0 on a top shelf shot that was set up by Tuch.
But after that, the Wild started to push back and Marcus Foligno was at the forefront.
He cut the team's deficit in half at 9:58 when he tucked in a puck that rolled behind Fleury in the crease, Foligno's third goal in the series. He also has nine points, including six goals, in his past eight games.
Again in the third, the Wild pressured the Golden Knights and challenged Fleury in tight. But the goalie, who was appearing in his 861st game to surpass Gump Worsley for sole possession of 12th place on the NHL's all-time list, was clutch – especially on the Wild's third power play.
He made two key saves on Kevin Fiala and got a piece of a Kaprizov attempt with his shoulder.
Soon after, the Golden Knights rewarded Fleury with some breathing room – a successful 2-on-1 finish by captain Mark Stone at 11:08 while play was at 4-on-4. And with 3:22 to go, Chandler Stephenson tacked on a fourth with a rising backhander before William Karlsson scored into an empty net at 17:41.
Talbot finished with 23 saves.
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