The main event match at WrestleMania 41 between John Cena and Cody Rhodes was slow and methodical. It involved the challenger taking his merry ol' time with countless moves. It didn't matter if it was his "Five Knuckle Shuffle" or the "STF." The GOAT was intent on wearing down Rhodes.
Believe it or not, it worked in a sense. Sure, it might've taken a low blow, an exposed turnbuckle, and smashing Rhodes's face in with the WWE Championship to win. However, Cena has his 17th major championship in WWE history (most in the promotion's history).
That was the same methodical strategy the Minnesota Wild tried against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. Wearing down the home team and taking the crowd out of the equation was the goal. But that didn't stop Tomas Hertl from getting on the board. That also didn't stop Pavel Dorofeyev from capitalizing on a Joel Eriksson Ek penalty on the power play, either.
Suddenly, the heel tactics weren't working for Minnesota. Would it take hitting Jack Eichel in the boys to win the match (of course, with the refs not looking)? Or would the Golden Knights hulk up and hit a flying elbow from the top rope for the win?
It was only a matter of time before the Vegas Golden Knights overwhelmed the Minnesota Wild
It turns out Minnesota would fall victim to that flying elbow, courtesy of a Brett Howden third-period goal.
CERTIFIED BRETT HOWDEN BEAUTY 😍 pic.twitter.com/bQfcz83eh8
— y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 21, 2025
A solid setup in transition from Nicolas Roy catches Howden inside the faceoff circle, putting Vegas up by two goals. He added a buzzer-beating empty-net goal to make it a 4-2 win. It looks like the center is carrying his regular season momentum over (23 goals in 2024-25) to the postseason. Talk about a successful tag-in for the tag team match.
While the Wild employed the "Heel John Cena" tactic of a slow, methodical beatdown, Adin Hill wasn't having any of it. The Vegas Golden Knights netminder stopped 18 of 20 shots, withstanding numerous scoring chances and solid opportunities.
Not to be outdone, Matt Boldy had two goals for the Wild. The forward was part of the intensifying pressure put on by Minnesota throughout the game, testing Hill at every turn. That included a sneaky backdoor goal that kept the Wild around. How will Bruce Cassidy and company stop him in his tracks? Stay tuned.
Not all was perfect in Golden Knights land, though
But that goes back to one thing the Golden Knights must shore up. That involves limiting Minnesota's zone entries and ensuring they win the neutral zone battles. Game 1 was apparent on numerous rushes from the opposition, especially with the Wild leading in chances after the first period, 4-3.
Stats like that won't get the job done against teams like the Colorado Avalanche or Los Angeles Kings. That's especially true with the former, who demolished a Dallas Stars team expected by many to be Stanley Cup contenders after the trade deadline. The Golden Knights must tread lightly in this regard. Otherwise, they'll get cooked.
Another problem area has been breakaway attempts. Vegas had not one, but two breakaway opportunities in the second period. Brandon Saad missed his shot while Jack Eichel's sailed his opportunity minutes later. If the Golden Knights want another Stanley Cup, that means putting your opponents away.
Still, it's one game down with 15 more to go. Vegas took care of business against a team they're better than. That's what Bruce Cassidy and the gang's all about, after all. With a veteran lineup that's been tested over the years, don't be surprised if they build off their 4-2 win and pile-drive the NHL.