In Las Vegas, the visiting Minnesota Wild scored three times in the third period to brrek open a 2-2 tie game en route to a 5-3 win over the Golden Knights on Monday night.
Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves in the win.
The Wild improved to 24-23-5.
“I love the two points, but I think the process to get to two points was really solid. We came in trying to replicate a game that we feel gives us a chance to win,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “The thing I’m most encouraged about is the process of the last two games is the style of game and commitment that it’s going to take to be able to win down the stretch.”
In the third period, the Wild’s Marco Rossi started the outburst with a goal at 6:28 to push Minnesota into the lead, 3-2.
Matt Boldy stretched the lead to 4-2 when he struck 61 seconds later.
“Good play by ‘Hartsy (Ryan Hartman).’ He just kind of flipped it in there at that awkward distance,” Boldy said. “I tried to get a piece and it followed me. … I was thinking, ‘Just throw it at the net,’ to be honest. There wasn’t much to it.”
Vegas got one back with a strike by Mark Stone midway through the third to trim the deficit to 4-3.
Joel Eriksson Ek who had a double in the game, potted his second of the night with 22 seconds left for the 5-3 final count on the scoreboard.
Vegas dropped to 31-16-6.
“I thought we mismanaged pucks between the blues after the first five minutes,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m not making excuses, but I was concerned today about how our energy level would be. It started out well, and then some of the guys we rely on didn’t quite have it tonight either.”
Vegas took a 1-0 lead with 22 seconds gone in the game when Jonathan Marchessault scored off a deflection.
The Wild replied with a strike by Mats Zuccarello midway through the opening stanza for a 1-1 tie. The goal came off a two-skater power play for th4 Wild.
“That’s a big one,” Hynes said. “In that scenario, you certainly have to score.”
Eriksson Ek added a marker at 12:09 of the first period for a 2-1 lead to the Wild.
The Golden Knights tied it, 2-2, on a power play strike by Michael Amadio at 17:45.
“I just think we weren’t good enough. I don’t think our execution was good enough up and down the lineup,” Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo said. “You want to win those games, especially when you have a big break. It’s frustrating to sit here for four days now. It’ll help us get prepared for Saturday (against the Carolina Hurricanes).”
Adin Hill made 24 saves in the loss.