Dorofeyev, Golden Knights beat Wild 4-3 in shootout
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice in regulation, including the tying goal with 34.2 seconds left to send it to overtime, and then had one of Vegas' three scores in the shootout in the Golden Knights' 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.
Keegan Kolesar also scored in regulation and Jack Eichel and Reilly Smith had shootout goals as Vegas briefly delayed Minnesota’s chance to clinch a playoff spot. Laurent Brossoit made 30 saves.
Matt Boldy had a goal and assist, reaching the 30-goal mark in his first full NHL season for the Wild, who ended up clinching a playoff spot shortly after the game when Dallas beat Nashville 5-1. Minnesota is tied with Dallas atop the Central Division with 98 points.
Brandon Duhaime and John Klingberg also scored in regulation, and Frederick Gaudreau and Joel Eriksson Ek had shootout scores for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots in goal for Minnesota.
The Knights, who also beat the Wild 4-1 in Las Vegas on Saturday, lead the Western Conference and Pacific Division with 103 points and already secured a postseason spot.
Dorofeyev twice tied the game, with his first of the game coming in the second before Boldy’s go-ahead goal late in the period.
With Brossoit pulled and the Golden Knights trailing 3-2, the puck found its way to Dorofeyev, who was wide open in front of Gustavsson and forced overtime.
Minnesota’s surge up the standings has come with leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov missing the past 12 games with a lower-body injury. Kaprizov has started skating on his own, but Boldy has filled the void.
The 21-year-old forward has six multipoint games in the 12 games without Kaprizov, scoring 13 goals during that span. He became the second player in franchise history with a 30-goal season at age 21 or younger, joining Marian Gaborik, the franchise’s first star who had two such seasons.
DOWN A MAN
The Wild announced that rookie forward Mason Shaw tore the ACL in his right knee in Saturday’s game at Vegas and will miss the rest of the season. Shaw had seven goals and 10 assists in 59 games for Minnesota this season.
Golden Knights forward Chandler Stephenson missed the game due to an illness.
UP NEXT
Golden Knights: Finish a back-to-back Tuesday at Nashville.
Wild: Play at Pittsburgh on Thursday.
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