Kaprizov's 3-point game leads the Wild to a 5-2 win over the Golden Knights, tying the series

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov cautioned it's just two games, but what a pair of performances.

He followed up a two-assist game in the series opener with two goals and another helper Tuesday night as the Minnesota Wild took advantage of turnover-prone Vegas and beat the Golden Knights 5-2, tying the first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

Game 3 is Thursday night in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“You get in a series and there's going to be pushes and surges either way,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I think from a competitive level, we were where we needed to be. But the big part is poise under pressure and playing smart, understanding how to manage those certain things. I thought we did a fairly good job of that tonight.”

This was the Wild's first victory over the Golden Knights this season and playoffs. Vegas won all three regular-season meetings and then took Game 1 4-2 on Sunday night.

Minnesota's last regulation victory — before Tuesday — occurred March 27 against Washington. The Golden Knights' last regulation loss was April 3 against Winnipeg.

Matt Boldy scored his third goal in two games for the Wild and added an assist. Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello also scored and Filip Gustavsson stopped 29 shots. Kaprizov has two goals and three assists this series.

Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl scored for the Golden Knights and Adin Hill made 12 saves.

The Golden Knights came out firing, taking the first five shots on goal, but none got past Gustavsson. Minnesota then took charge, scoring three goals in the first period. Two goals came off Vegas turnovers and another on a puck battle that Ryan Hartman won.

Another Golden Knights giveaway, this one by Shea Theodore, led to Kaprizov making the score 4-0 nearly four minutes into the second period.

“We didn't take care of the puck,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Typically, when things don't go well for us, that's where it starts. You're giving their best players easy offense in the playoffs. It's a bad formula.”

Vegas came back with a big push and mostly dominated the rest of the way, scoring twice and outshooting the Wild 22-5. The Golden Knights will hope to build on that with the series shifting to Minnesota, and if the end of this game was any indication, it could get testy.

“They’re a good team,” Wild forward Marcus Foligno said. “We’ve got to look to Game 3, and we know we’ll be tested throughout this series.”

Several scrums broke out with 4:38 left, though the referees didn't penalize either side.

Kaprizov scored an empty-netter from nearly 200 feet with 2:26 left to end any lingering doubts.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) skates with the puck against Minnesota Wild defensemen Zeev Buium (8) and Zach Bogosian (24) during the second period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) shoots against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) as defenseman Shea Theodore (27) defends during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) handles the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) checks Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) into the boards during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, left, and center Gustav Nyquist (41) celebrate Foligno's goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kasperi Kapanen scored on a scramble in front of the net at 7:14 of overtime, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to advance to the Western Conference final for the second year in a row.

The Oilers, who last season made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before losing in seven games to Florida, will play Dallas or Winnipeg in the next round. The Stars, who lead 3-1, will go for the series win Thursday night.

Kapanen’s goal backed up another shutout performance from goalie Stuart Skinner, who made 24 saves and drew several chants of “Stu! Stu!” from Oilers fans in the crowd. Skinner, who was benched two games into the playoffs, also blanked the Golden Knights in Game 4. This was his third start in a row in replacing the injured Calvin Pickard.

Adin Hill made 29 saves for Vegas.

Both teams also were involved in the two most recent scoreless playoff games to reach overtime. The Oilers lost to Winnipeg on May 21, 2021, five days after the Golden Knights were defeated by Minnesota.

Edmonton’s only 1-0 overtime playoff victory occurred in 1997 over the Dallas. Vegas has yet to win a postseason game by that score in OT.

The Golden Knights played without captain Mark Stone because of an upper-body injury that caused him to miss most of Game 3 on Saturday. He played in Game 4 on Monday, but was far from at full health.

Neither team scored through the first two periods, and prime scoring chances were at a premium. There were only five high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick, and the Golden Knights had four of them.

But each team had a grade-A chance early in the third period. Vegas’ Brett Howden whiffed on a tap-in after taking a fantastic pass from Jack Eichel, and shortly after Edmonton’s Leon Draistaitl failed to convert on a breakaway. Connor McDavid had a chance on a 2-on-1 to end the game in regulation but was denied by Hill with 1:06 left.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) battle for the puck during the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) blocks a shot by Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen (42) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)