St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Wild continued their strong start to the season with a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night. The win highlighted the Wild’s special‑teams excellence, as they maintained the league’s best penalty‑kill rate and a power‑play that tops the NHL.
Special‑teams shine
From the opening face‑off, the Wild struck quickly. Max Shabanov scored on the power play during a three‑goal first period, followed by goals from Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov. Minnesota outshot Vegas 23‑11 through the first two periods and was especially dominant while short‑handed, recording a 6‑1 advantage.
The Wild have killed five penalties in this game, bringing their season total to 21 kills on 22 chances – the best penalty‑kill percentage in the league. Their power play, meanwhile, leads the NHL at 7 goals on 17 opportunities.
Scoring summary
Rasmus Andersson added a second‑period goal for the Wild, extending the lead to 3‑0. Vegas responded when William Karlsson scored midway through the third period, cutting the deficit to one. However, the Wild’s defense held firm, and Joel Eriksson Ek sealed the win with an empty‑net goal with 1:22 remaining.
Goalie performances
Rookie net‑minder Jesper Wallstedt, who has appeared in all six of Minnesota’s games, made 21 saves to earn the win. Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart stopped 24 shots, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Injuries and roster notes
The Wild have been without first‑pair defenseman Brock Faber all season after he suffered a skull fracture. Forward Nico Sturm left the game in the first period after a teammate’s slap shot struck him on the side of the head. Minnesota also lists forwards Marcus Foligno and Nick Foligno on injured reserve.
Rookie Rieger Lorenz, who debuted in a win at Florida last weekend, recorded his first NHL assist on Yurov’s goal and engaged in his first fight against Jeremy Lauzon in the third period.
Looking ahead
Next up, the Golden Knights travel to Nashville on Tuesday, while the Wild head to Winnipeg for their next matchup.
The Wild’s continued success on special teams underscores the coaching staff’s emphasis on disciplined play and execution, a theme that resonates with fans who value hard work, teamwork, and community pride.
Original reporting: News 3 KSNV Las Vegas (local) — read the source article.
