Victor Olofsson tallied his second two-goal performance of the season, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night.
Shea Theodore also found the net, and Jack Eichel added two assists, increasing his team-high total to 33 for the season. Ilya Samsonov made 20 saves to secure the victory for Vegas.
Olofsson, who also had a two-goal game in the Golden Knights’ season-opening 8-4 win over Colorado, has now scored in three consecutive games since returning from a 20-game absence due to a lower-body injury. His second goal of the night broke a 2-2 tie just 3:49 into the third period.
Kirill Kaprizov scored both goals for Minnesota, following up on his two-goal performance in Saturday’s win over Philadelphia. Kaprizov’s 22 goals this season tie him with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the NHL lead. Jesper Wallstedt, making his season debut for the Wild, stopped 24 shots.
Takeaways
Golden Knights: Vegas capped off a successful three-game road trip with two wins and has now won five of its last six games. The team has scored at least three goals in five straight outings, showcasing consistent offensive production.
Wild: With Marc-Andre Fleury playing Saturday and Filip Gustavsson sidelined by a minor injury, Minnesota turned to Jesper Wallstedt, recalled from their AHL affiliate. Wallstedt made his fourth NHL start and performed admirably. The Wild do not expect Gustavsson’s absence to be prolonged.
Key Moment
The Golden Knights survived a late penalty to secure the win. Nicolas Roy was called for tripping with 50 seconds remaining, giving the Wild a 6-on-4 advantage after they pulled Wallstedt. However, Minnesota couldn’t convert, allowing Vegas to escape with the victory.
Key Stat
Kaprizov’s 22 goals through 30 games are the most by a Wild player in franchise history at this point in a season. He surpassed Marian Gaborik’s 20 goals through 30 games during the 2006-07 campaign.
Up Next
Vegas returns home to host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Minnesota will face the Florida Panthers at home on Wednesday.
