Today's a new day, Vegas Golden Knights fans. It's time for Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild as the series shifts to the "Twin Cities." The series is tied and some fans are panicking. However, the good news is this isn't the NFL.
Imagine a scenario where Gary Bettman decided to make all rounds a one-and-done ordeal. That would rustle so many hockey fans' Jimmies that he would immediately change course. Riots and protests would break out with fans calling for Bettman's head! Luckily, that's not the reality we live in.
Instead, fans get a best-of-seven series where they have short-term memories of the last loss. But be careful! One too many losses and you're eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. That's why it's imperative to rebound and regain control of the series.
As for Game 3 itself? It's a new day for the Golden Knights, who can rebound from their Game 2 failures. Three first-period goals, led by a resurgent top line with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov (five goals and four assists combined), toppled Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday. If there was ever a time to rebound and take the series back, it's now.
Before that, let's go over the basics, shall we? Where can you watch the game? What time does the action start? Have the line combinations changed at all? It's time to dive into the basics and see what's going on with Game 3.
What's to come between the Golden Knights and Wild for Game 3
The lines for the Vegas Golden Knights haven't changed. They remain static from Game 2 despite the embarrassing loss.
Line | Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|---|
1st line | Barbashev | Eichel | Stone |
2nd line | Saad | Hertl | Barbashev |
3rd line | Olofsson | Karlsson | Smith |
4th line | Howden | Roy | Kolesar |
It's the same thing for the defensive pairings, too. All three units remain static for Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild
Pairing | Defenseman #1 | Defenseman #2 |
|---|---|---|
1st | Hanifin | Pietrangelo |
2nd | McNabb | Theodore |
3rd | Hague | Whitecloud |
The starting goaltender? None other than Adin Hill, who'll oppose Filip Gustavsson for Game 3. Hill is hoping to rebound from that disastrous Game 2, where he allowed four goals. Three of those came in the first period, leaving the series tied.
The start time will be 6:00 PM PST, with the action airing on TBS. Will Golden Knights fans hear Kenny Albert and Eddie Olcyzk, the better alternative to anything ESPN or Disney puts out? Stay tuned. It's likely they do the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning game. It wouldn't be surprising, given that both franchises have been wildly successful in recent memory.
As for the Wild's home record? It's surprisingly worse than their road record, standing at 22-17-2. Minnesota's record away from Xcel Energy Center during the regular season was 23-13-5, which shouldn't surprise Golden Knights fans after seeing Game 2. It's on Bruce Cassidy and company to pounce on that opportunity and take both games. That should go without saying, of course.
The good news is this is a veteran squad that knows its worth. Sure, they might play with their food sometimes. They might get too complacent and lose like they did on Tuesday. However, that's the beauty of having a strong head coach. Anything can happen when you have someone like Cassidy who lights the fire underneath you.