Zach Whitecloud scored a pair of goals as the Vegas Golden Knights handed the Minnesota Wild its second straight loss on Sunday night by a score of 6-4.
Whitecloud was a thorn in the Wild’s side throughout the night as he put Vegas on the board midway through the first period. Alex Goligoski answered for Minnesota with his third goal of the year but the Golden Knights took the lead back with a power play marker from Evgeni Dadonov.
With time running down in the first period, Mats Zuccarello crashed the net for a power play goal just before the horn to send both teams into the intermission tied at 2-2.
#MNWild get back to even on the power play!!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tLrTMGHXUN
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) December 13, 2021
Minnesota used that momentum to start the second period strong as Nick Bjugstad put the Wild ahead nine seconds into the middle frame.
NINE SECONDS IN!!!
3-2 lead for the #mnwild pic.twitter.com/d0hCKwjh4z
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) December 13, 2021
But Bjugstad’s goal was the precursor for a chaotic second period that saw Vegas take the lead. Whitecloud tied the game up with his second goal of the night with 5:46 to go and Max Pacioretty gave Vegas the lead with a breakaway goal at 13:52.
The stretch also spawned a power play for the Wild which turned on a 5-on-3 advantage when Alex Pietrangelo slashed Joel Eriksson Ek. But the Wild couldn’t capitalize even when Whitecloud slashed Eriksson Ek, leading to another power play.
That sent the Wild into the third period down a goal but Marcus Foligno cleaned up a rebound off the glove of Robin Lehner to tie the game.
MOOSE W/ THE EQUALIZER!!@mnwild | #mnwild pic.twitter.com/Z44f2wM4O3
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) December 13, 2021
Foligno’s marker was the last positive thing for the Wild, who fell behind again when Mark Stone scored the Golden Knight’s second power play goal on the night to go ahead 5-4.
The Wild had a chance to tie the game late but a shot from Kevin Fiala went off the post and Pietrangelo scored an empty net goal to seal Minnesota’s fate.
The Wild will look to get back in the win column when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
