LAS VEGAS – On the first day of the rest of the season for the new-look Minnesota Wild, they came to the desert and started a winning streak.
Versus a Vegas team that had ended their season a year ago, the Wild put three of their new acquisitions on the ice and put together and lineup that was good for a 4-2 win on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.
Minnesota got goals from Mats Zuccarello, Zach Bogosian, Vladimir Tarasenko and newcomer Michael McCarron in a span of just over three minutes in the middle frame on the way to their second win of the week. In the other end of the rink, goalie Filip Gustavsson was outstanding, turning away 30 of 32 Golden Knights shots as the Wild swept the season series with Vegas.
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton, left, and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) fight during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Both goalies were busy early, with Gustavsson stopping a Colton Scissons breakaway in the opening minutes, and Kaprizov blasting a shot off the goalpost near the midway point of the first.
Minnesota had the only power play of the opening 20 minutes, and needed about one more second to get the game’s first goal, as Matt Boldy poked a rebound past the Knights’ goalie just an instant after the first period clock expired.
The heat turned up in the second, with a few post-whistle scrums, then a full-on fight between Wild defenseman Jake Middleton and Knights winger Keegan Kolesar which earned each of them a five-minute timeout.
A Knights mistake finally opened the door for the Wild to get on the board, when Vegas defenseman Noah Hanafin made a blind pass at the blue line that spring Zuccarello for a breakaway goal. Then the roof caved in on Vegas over the next three minutes.
Minnesota doubled the lead quickly when Bogosian blasted a shot from the top of the circle through a crowd and in. Just 18 seconds later it was 3-0, when McCarron’s long shot sailed past the Vegas goalie’s blocker.
It was the sixth goal of the season for McCarron, and his first in a Wild uniform since being acquired from Nashville earlier in the week.
Vegas spoiled Gustavsson’s shutout bid early in the third with a Pavel Dorofeyev goal on their first power play of the game. Tarasenko countered with the Wild’s final score of the game at 15:42, with Mitch Marner adding one more for the hosts just over a minute later.
Minnesota was without second line winger Marcus Johansson, who was hurt in their Tuesday night home win versus Tampa Bay. He did not make the trip and is day to day with an upper body injury. Brink took Johansson’s place with Joel Eriksson Ek at center and Matt Boldy on the other wing.
The Wild visit Colorado on Sunday for a 1 p.m. CT opening faceoff versus the Avalanche.
Briefly
This was the Knights’ first home game since the three-week Olympic break, so they took a moment to honor their players that had competed in Milan. While honoring Vegas gold medal winner Jack Eichel from Team USA, they also acknowledged the Wild’s three American players along with Wild coach John Hynes and general manager Bill Guerin.
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