The Vegas Golden Knights' quest for the 2025 Stanley Cup continues after they eliminated the Minnesota Wild in their opening-round series. Following a 3-2 win, the Wild's season has come to an end. The Golden Knights will now face the winner of the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers in the second round.
The Golden Knights jostled with the Wild, but ultimately proved to be the better team. They traded victories over the first four contests, but Vegas locked in for Games 5 and 6 and pulled ahead.
A late second-period goal in Game 6 from Jack Eichel proved to be the game-winner. It was Eichel's first of the series, and it continued a trend that lasted the entire series. The team that scored more goals in the second period won every game, and the Golden Knights dominated the middle frame once again.
The Wild had an impressive showing, despite the elimination. Their squad has promising pieces, and if it all comes together, they could be a true Cup contender. Their forward group has elite leaders in Kirill Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy, who need a bit more support. On the blue line, Brock Faber is still developing, and rookie Zeev Buium got his first taste of NHL action in the first round. In net, they face a new era without the retiring Marc-Andre Fleury, but starter Filip Gustavsson has become an anchor in the net.
The Golden Knights are hoping to win the second Stanley Cup in the history of their young franchise in 2025. They captured the elusive trophy in 2023 after an impressive run, and their roster still contains multiple key members from that squad.
Something to keep an eye on for Vegas is the health of their starting netminder, Adin Hill. He's battled injury throughout the season and appeared to fight through a lower-body injury in their Game 6 victory. His health is paramount for the Golden Knights to continue their Cup pursuit. That's a problem for another day.
More must-reads: