Ivan Barbashev OT winner evens series 2-2 for Golden Knights

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Ivan Barbashev and the Vegas Golden Knights quiet the crowd inside of Xcel Energy Center on Saturday, holding off the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime to even the series at 2-2.

Original misfit Reilly Smith started the game winning goal opportunity by stealing the puck from Minnesota’s Jake Middleton, centering the puck to Nicolas Roy, which set up the rebound in the low slot for Barbashev to send the series back to Las Vegas.     

"Just kinda keep playing," Shea Theodore said when asked what was the message heading into OT. "I felt like we were on top of them. I like the energy from our group... This was a big game for us, it's good to go home." 

Exactly as Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said, the team needed to create their own luck in order to keep their postseason hopes alive.

"It's been a hard-fought every inch of ice out there, so that's how I'm looking at it. Emotionally, we're going to enjoy it," Cassidy said when asked about his team's win. 

As a whole, Vegas had a rollercoaster of a game that featured some shuffles with the lineups at the start of the third period. However, they stuck to their game plan and took advantage of Minnesota's misfortune, including being able to draw more penalties leading to them converting on the power play twice. 

"You got to get going five on five scoring... We've been pretty good at that this year," Cassidy said. "It hasn't been a deficiency. That's something we're gonna need, if you're not getting on the power play. Tonight we did."

"We took advantage of some situations, but they've been scoring five on five, so we have to match them." 

After allowing 13 points through the first three games, the Golden Knights defensively also were able to put a lid on Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek line, only allowing two points combined. They even killed both of their opposition's power play chances, including an opportunity in OT following a holding call on Roy.  

Golden Knights’ stars Jack Eichel (1 A) and Mark Stone (1 A) found a way to get themselves on the score sheet for the first time this series. 

In need of some improvement from the previous two games, the Golden Knights got off to a better start during the opening period. 

For the first time since game one, the Golden Knights were the first to find the back of the net courtesy of Shea Theodore. Following a high stick penalty by Vinnie Hinostroza, Barbashev intercepted a pass, sending the puck to point to Theodore, who fired the puck over the glove of netminder Filip Gustavsson. 

Minnesota was able to find the equalizer a little over the halfway point of the period. Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague, from behind the net, lost the puck on a forecheck by Justin Brazeau.

Brazeau sent the puck to a open Marco Rossi in the low slot and shot the puck under the crossbar and past goaltender Adin Hill.   

However, a team filled with tons of depth, Minnesota found another scoring culprit in Marcus Foligno, who now has scored in three consecutive games this series, to give the Wild a 2-1 lead. 

On the go-ahead goal, Foligno was able to locate the puck and get a hand on Matt Zuccarello’s shot while it was launched in the air. Going off the glove of Foligno, Ryan Hartman accquired the puck and shot it to Hill, leading to Foligno jumping on the rebound.  

Whether it's mucking it up near the opposition’s crease or laying the lumber against the boards, Foligno was playing a complete game and caused chaos for Vegas. 

The Golden Knights during the second period, and through a large portion of the series, were having difficulty entering the Wild’s zone through the middle of the ice. Vegas would try to get the puck down low near the goal line or the slot, and the Wild would box them out, only allowing shots through tough, low percentage angles.

Even though outshooting Minnesota 23-14 through two periods, all the momentum was on the Wild’s side. 

Looking to find a way to produce any offense, the Golden Knights dug deep in the third period and capitalized a double minor penalty that left their captain Stone on the ice with blood dripping down his right eye. Following a scramble in front of Gustavvson on Tomas Hertl's shot, the puck found itself on the stick of Nicolas Roy and zipped it to the back of the net.

A little over five minutes later, the Golden Knights took their first lead since the opening period by virtue of Hertl, credited for his third goal of the series. Stone, noticing Hertl and Hartman wrestling near the crease, sent the puck in their direction and it deflects off Hertl’s right leg. 

Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon would tie the game at 3-3 on a wrap around attempt less than a minute later. 

Both teams had prime scoring opportunities in extra time, including an impressive pad stop by Hill, robbing Eriksson Ek from taking a 3-1 series lead. 

It wasn’t a perfect game, but Hill made stops when he was called upon. He stopped 29 shots and finished with a .906 SV%, meanwhile Gustavvson came up with 42 saves and posted a .913 SV%. 

Game five of this series will go back to The Strip on Tuesday with the starting time of the game to still be determined.

"It only takes one play in playoffs like this," Roy said. "It's momentum, swings and whatever happens, we stuck with it, and we found a way to get one there."