There was one main goal for the Vegas Golden Knights heading into Wednesday’s finale in Vancouver: stay healthy and win. It took 40 minutes and a goalie change by the Canucks to start the third period to get there, but… Goal achieved.
Victor Olofsson broke past Kevin Lankinen for the second time in as many games, sparking Vegas to a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev scored within 2:46 of each other midway in that third, essentially (along with a well-functioning defense by Vegas) damming up the Vancouver offense for the final 9:15 of the contest. Here are my three takeaways on a less messy, but more successful night on the west coast of Canada.
Akira Schmid makes the Game 1 backup question a little more interesting with another banner night
Yes, it was against a team that swapped out Kevin Lankinen for rookie netminder Nikita Tolopilo in the third. One that had managed to put together four shots in that entire period. But the 17 shots Akira Schmid faced, he batted away with the type of calm control that’s been a rare sight from the number two goalie this season for the Golden Knights.
After the Calgary shootout loss on Tuesday night, I gave the slight edge to Samsonov to be the No. 2 goaltender for Game 1. This was based on his decent performance throughout the season. Now… it’s anybody’s guess.
Victor Olofsson ends road trip, season on a good note
After quietly being the best player in Calgary who didn’t register a point, Victor Olofsson continued with his 15th of the season late in the second. It also kicked off the burst offense by the Golden Knights in that third that eventually turned into Dorofeyev’s game winner eight minutes into the third period. That's not to mention Jack Eichel’s first goal since March 29th a few minutes later.
It was Olofsson’s fourth goal in his last 10 games, which he hasn’t really put together since mid to late January. It’s a heck of a turnaround for the Swede, especially given the depths of where his game was through February and much of March. Knock on many pallets of wood, for this is a sign of things to come before Game 1.
Welcome to the National, Cole Schwindt!
Our last goal of the season is the first in the NHL for Cole Schwindt!!!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zWHy9BPy6c
— y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 17, 2025
It seems a perfect place to put what is a pretty sweet story, right at the edge of the final "Takeaways" of the regular season. There weren’t many style points to the empty-netter at 18:28 of the third. But it’s a nice fit for a guy with the least amount of shots from any forward this season (32) who ping ponged between Vegas and the waiver wire at the start of the year. Here’s hoping he’s putting together a nice story between now and Game 1 for anyone coming to his apartment and seeing that puck on a shelf.
Next on the Marquee:
The most wonderful time of the year (that doesn’t involve caroling or Eggnog or the Grinch)- Game 1 in the Fortress against the Minnesota Wild on Easter Sunday. Given that the other two first-round series matchups in the West are starting Saturday, Sunday seems a pretty good bet for when the series will start.
As for the game and the series as a whole, the Wild have only been eliminated before Game 6 three times in their last 10 playoff series (four if you count the Bubble). Also, even with the 12-4 goal difference in the three games Vegas played, they were tied in two of those three games heading into the third. Bottom line: This is going to be a fun series, and much less panic-inducing than St. Louis would’ve been. Until then…