In the latest “Hockey Knights in Vegas” podcast which is available to view on YouTube.com or on my Facebook page or the Facebook page of Vegas Hockey Guy, my co-host Eddie Rivkin posed this question. “What’s more important: Minnesota shutting down Stone or the VGK shutting down Kaprizov?”

Without any hesitation or doubt, I said, “Minnesota shutting down Stone is much more important than the VGK shutting down the young Russian who is destined to be a superstar. But at this point, Stone is much more dangerous to Minnesota chances’s of beating the VGK in a 7-game series. Stone is the heart and soul of the VGK.”

Eddie disagreed.

Eddie knows his hockey; there is no question about that. He just doesn’t understand the importance of Mark Stone to the VGK. Mark Stone Matters!

Last night, Stone proved me right as he rescued his team with a 2nd period goal that clearly changed the entire momentum of the game. Minnesota dominated the VGK in the first period, scoring 2 goals and limiting Vegas to just 4 SOG. Minnesota actually scored 3 goals, but the keen eye of VGK video coach Dave Rogowski spotted the Wild offside by inches entering the Vegas zone. If he was wrong, Vegas would have been down 3-0 with Minnesota on the power play; for all intents and purposes, the game would have been over, with Minnesota leading the series 2-1.

The VGK played entirely differently in the 2nd period; they registered 22 shots in the 2nd period after leaving their sticks on the bench for the first 20 minutes of the game. Minnesota registered only 9 SOG in the 2nd and 3rd periods combined — a complete reversal of what we all watched in the first period.
Not sure what was said between periods 1 and 2, but the entire complexion and momentum of the game changed and Mark Stone was the catalyst in their comeback of 5 unanswered goals in their 5-2 win. Stone was not to be denied last night. He had 2 goals and 5 SOG after being held to just 2 shots in the first 2 games of this series.

With both Max Pacioretty and Tomas Nosek still not able to go, Coach DeBoer had Patrick Brown replace Nosek, kept Alex Tuch on the first line with Stone and Stephenson, and replaced Nicolas Hague with Nick Holden. DeBoer’s crystal ball once again lit up as Holden had 2 assists for his first career 2-point playoff game. His intentional shot wide of the net was key in Patrick Brown’s goal that tied the game at 2-2. The 2 new additions to the lineup made a huge contribution in the comeback.

Even though the VGK power play was 0-5 last night, the unit did appear a lot more engaged and on one power play had 7 SOG and had the puck in the Minnesota end almost the entire 2 minutes. The 5 power plays also were instrumental in eating up 10 key minutes of the game before goals by Reilly Smith and William Karlsson pretty much sealed the deal in the comeback that saw Vegas suck the air right out of the Minnesota Wild.

We are all aware of the VGK’s lack of success in winning games in Minnesota, but like I said in the podcast, what happens in the regular season will and should have zero effect on what happens in a playoff series.

This is just my observation, but the celebrations and jumping around by the Wild when they scored last night and even the one goal on Tuesday at T-Mobile make me believe they know that VGK are the better team and they know their goals will be hard to come by against Fleury. They reacted to their goals in the first period like they were the game winners. They found out the hard way that playing just 20 minutes against any team in the NHL is not enough, but against the VGK with the leadership and playoff experience this team has is never going to be enough, even in Minnesota where they’ve owned the VGK in regular-season games. Playoff games are a totally different animal and when you add Mark Stone into the mix, the fat lady is warming up her voice.

My 3+ Stars of the Game
1) Mark Stone (2 goals, 5 SOG, and a pure inspirational leader)
2) Reilly Smith (1G, the GWG, and 1A)
3) Patrick Brown (1G, the game-tying goal)
3A) Nic Holden (2A and a smart shot off the end boards to set up Brown’s goal)
3B) Dave Rogowski (Video Coach who spotted the offsides which wiped off the Wild’s third goal and changed the game)

Next game is tomorrow in Minnesota at 5 p.m. Pacific Time

If you want to hear and see more VGK content please check out the podcast I do with Eddie Rivkin on YouTube, “Hockey Knights in Vegas.”

Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisor or you may contact me directly at [email protected] or on my Facebook page or the Facebook page of Vegas Hockey Guy or on Twitter @TheRealJoePane

One other note: If you’re reading this blog from Facebook or Twitter and would like to access it earlier in the morning before I share it on social media, it’s usually published by 8 a.m. the morning after a game on LasVegasAdvisor.com. What better way is there to enjoy your morning coffee than reading my take on last night’s VGK game.

Stone’s goal that cut the lead in half

Patrick Brown ties the game up

Reilly Smith’s GWG