Hartman's grit helps Wild even Western 1st Round against Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS -- Ryan Hartman was bloodied but unbowed following Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round.

The rugged center for the Minnesota Wild had doled out some physicality in a series-opening loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, but he had absorbed much more punishment than he administered.

Yet, two nights later, he was back for more in Game 2 at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday, a focal point in a 5-2 win that featured a three-goal outburst in the first period, fueled by the relentlessness of the reconfigured third line, which featured Hartman as the fulcrum.

“I just try to play the game, I try to be undeniable and earn time," he said after helping the Wild even the best-of-7 series 1-1 with Game 3 set for Xcel Energy Center on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; FDSNNO, SCRIPPS, MAX, truTV, TBS, TVAS2, SN360). "Obviously we need everyone at all times. I think there’s going to be points where guys are jumping up and guys are going down and that’s how it is this time of year.

Minnesota coach John Hynes moved Hartman up, pointing to his compete level in Game 1. The day before, he spoke to his team, using Hartman as an example of staying disciplined when it seemed he was being targeted by Vegas, and the way he kept getting up after being buckled.

The message was clear: Play the game the right way and you will be rewarded. And the Wild played the right way in Game 2.

Hartman flipped spots with Marco Rossi and assisted on the second goal of the first period, scored by forward Marcus Foligno.

All told, Hartman played 17:20, almost three minutes more than he did in Game 1. He had three shots on goal, seven shot attempts, two blocked shots and two hits.

“Give credit to 'Hartsy,' he’s been playing awesome, These past two games especially,” Foligno said. “Hartsy’s got a lot of skill around the net and it’s a line we need going for sure.”

It was the line that got the Wild going Tuesday after surviving a rocky first five minutes.
The trio, which also includes Gustav Nyquist, took the ice and put the pressure on the Golden Knights. Foligno delivered a hit to defenseman Zach Whitecloud -- one of a team-leading 12 in the game -- and Nyqvist took a hit to make a play and set Hartman up for a chance.

They didn’t convert, but the Wild were off the mat now, pushing forward, doing the stalking instead of being stalked.

Matt Boldy scored at 9:56, his third straight goal for Minnesota in the series, to make it 1-0. Marian Gaborik is the only other player to score three consecutive playoff goals for the Wild, doing so in the 2003 Western Conference Second Round.

Hartman began the play leading to Minnesota going up 2-0 when he gathered the puck in the corner and fed it to Foligno in the front of the net where it was shoveled past Adin Hill at 11:35.

It was the Wild's fourth goal of the series, but first by a bottom-six forward.

"One of the reasons we made the change is because we thought Hartsy played really well and he’s got some good chemistry with Foligno and it looks like a different line,” Hynes said. [That line] came through in a big way and played the style that would give them a chance to be good.”

Mats Zuccarello, a second-line forward, scored at 17:15 to make it 3-0 and suddenly the Wild had goals from three lines and were showing the depth that is the calling card of their opponent.

Forward Kirill Kaprizov scored 3:59 into the second to give Minnesota a 4-0 lead, forcing a shot through Hill and taking the wind out of the amped-up crowd.

Things got dicey after that and the Wild staggered to the final bell, much like the way Hartman did more than once two nights before through a barrage of hits.

Minnesota had 17 shots in the game, seven after the first-period onslaught, and were repelling wave after wave of pressure until Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game, flinging a puck 195 feet into an empty net with 2:26 remaining.

That put the exclamation point on a series-turning result.

When home teams have won the first two games of a best-of-7 series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they advance 88.7 percent of the time (266 of 300). Vegas is 4-0 all-time in that scenario.

Conversely, the Golden Knights are 6-4 in series that start 1-1, while the Wild are 1-8 in series where they fell behind 2-0 but are 3-4 in series tied after two games.

To say Minnesota likes its odds a lot more now is an understatement.

The Wild also liked their Game 2 identity and believe it will serve them well in the remainder of the series if they can maintain it.

“It’s playoff hockey," Hartman said, "and I think it suits us.”