Morning Skate Report: April 24, 2025

The Vegas Golden Knights head on the road for the first time this postseason to face off against the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT at Xcel Energy Center.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Scripps Sports (Vegas 34 in Vegas; full network)
Streaming: KnightTime+
TV National: TBS, truTV, MAX
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340 | Deportes Vegas 1460

NOTESThe Golden Knights own an 11-5-0 overall record in Game 3 of all postseason best-of-seven series and an 8-4-0 road record in Game 3.

Since joining the league, the Golden Knights own the highest playoff game-winning percentage (.598) in NHL history.

Noah Hanifin has tallied a point in each of the first two games of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The defenseman has notched seven points (3G, 4A) in just his first nine postseason appearances with the Golden Knights.

Stay connected during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by downloading the Official Vegas Golden Knights Mobile App. Get the latest updates on tickets, team news, and fun, interactive ways to engage with the Golden Knights all postseason long.

WATCH PARTYThe Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will host the team’s official watch party for Thursday's Game 3. The doors will open at 5 p.m. PT, with festivities kicking off at 5:30 p.m. ahead of the 6 p.m. puck drop. Admission is free, and the event features a DJ, appearances from the VGK Cast, and raffle prizes, including tickets to future Golden Knights games. Attendees can also snag team giveaways such as VGK sunglasses and rally towels.

SERIES AT A GLANCE
All times PST
Game 1: Vegas Golden Knights 4, Minnesota Wild 2 | HIGHLIGHTS
Game 2: Minnesota Wild 5, Vegas Golden Knights 2 | HIGHLIGHTS
Game 3: Thursday, April 24 at 6 p.m. | Xcel Energy Center
Game 4: Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m. | Xcel Energy Center
Game 5: Tuesday, April 29 – Time TBD | T-Mobile Arena | BUY TICKETS
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 1 – Time TBD | Xcel Energy Center
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 3 – Time TBD | T-Mobile Arena | BUY TICKETS

PREGAME SOUND

LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights fell to the Wild, 5-2, in Game 2 of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena as Minnesota evened up the series. Matt Boldy, Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov scored in the first two periods to give the Wild a 4-0 lead. Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl helped get the Golden Knights back within two, but Minnesota came away with the series-tying 5-2 victory.

VEGAS SCORING LEADERS
Tomas Hertl – 3 points (2G, 1A)
Brett Howden – 2 points (2G, 0A)
Noah Hanifin – 2 points (1G, 1A)
Alex Pietrangelo – 2 points (0G, 2A)
Brandon Saad – 2 points (0G, 2A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 1 point (1G, 0A)
Shea Theodore – 1 point (0G, 1A)
Nicolas Roy – 1 point (0G, 1A)

MINNESOTA SCORING LEADERS
Kirill Kaprizov – 5 points (2G, 3A)
Matt Boldy – 4 points (3G, 1A)
Ryan Hartman – 2 points (0G, 2A)

BY THE NUMBERS
2 – Tomas Hertl scored in each of his first two games of the postseason and became just the fourth player in Golden Knights history to do so. Only Mark Stone has had a three-game postseason-opening goal streak for Vegas (2019).

10 - Brandon Saad has recorded assists in back-to-back games to own 10 points (4G, 6A) through 23 postseason contests in his career against Minnesota.

63 – Alex Pietrangelo recorded his 63^rd postseason career assist and 20^th with Vegas in Game 2. Pietrangelo ranks second in Golden Knights history in this category.

100 – The Golden Knights are one of three teams in the postseason still clicking at a 100% penalty kill percentage.

AROUND THE NHL
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild (Series tied, 1-1)
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (Los Angeles leads, 2-0)
Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues (Winnipeg leads, 2-0)
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche (Dallas Leads, 2-1)

Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens (Washington leads, 2-0)
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils (Carolina leads, 2-0)
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators (Toronto leads, 2-0)
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers (Florida leads, 1-0)

KEYS TO THE GAME
Get Back On Track: Before the Golden Knights took flight to Minnesota, Head Coach Bruce Cassidy highlighted puck management as a crucial key to regaining their form. With a veteran roster, the team knows the importance of making smart decisions with the puck. Sharpening those small details could be the difference in reclaiming the lead in the series.

Bring The Hunger & Drive: During this time of the year, all teams are fighting to move on. Vegas carries high standards and will need to bring its competitive drive on the road against a hungry Minnesota team. The team is driven to get a key win in this series on the road.