With a tied first-round series at one game apiece, the Minnesota Wild still have a chance to dethrone the top seed from the Pacific Division, the Vegas Golden Knights. It is going to take a near-perfect performance, almost like what they did in Game 2, winning 5-2.
The Wild have to go all gas and no brakes in order to shut down this great Vegas Golden Knights team.
Series is tied up
The series is all tied up at a game apiece, meaning it is now a best of five. Win three and you move on. Sounds easy enough, right?
The Wild have seemingly been the better team in this series so far. They have won in the physicality department and have also outscored the Golden Knights 7-6. Additionally, the Wild have done a great job winning the face-off battle, 52% to 48%, which is huge considering the Wild was one of the worst teams in the NHL in this category during the regular season with a 46.7% win rate.
Heading home
Now, the series heads home to the Xcel Center in Minnesota, and the Wild are gaining momentum after winning Game 2. The Wild held a record of 22-17-2 during the regular season, and the Golden Knights were 21-13-7 on the road. This will make for an intriguing matchup for games three and four.
Since their inception, the Golden Knights have not been fantastic on the road in the playoffs, so this might give the Wild a distinct advantage, at least, you would think. The Wild, since the 2017-18 Stanley Cup Playoffs, have a record of 4-9 at home. That is not all that fantastic either.
There is definitely a possibility of a first-round sweep in the Western Conference. The Wild have every chance to try and beat this Vegas team, but they are going to have to earn it.