The Minnesota Wild's first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights is currently tied at one game each, setting the stage for an exciting Game 3 at the Xcel Energy Center this Thursday. The early rounds of this playoff matchup have showcased the dominance of the Wilds top line, which has outperformed their counterparts from Vegas, leading to an engaging spectacle for fans and players alike.

In Game 2, held on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena, the Wild made a statement as Kirill Kaprizov executed a stunning play. From the top of his own left circle, Kaprizov sent a perfectly placed floater to a sprinting Matt Boldy. Boldy skillfully maneuvered the puck just before the blue line, breaking away to score the opening goal for Minnesota, setting the tone for what would become a resounding 5-2 victory for the Wild.

When asked about the significance of Kaprizovs play, Wild defenseman Brock Faber offered high praise, stating, One, I think. He added, That was incredible. An incredible play an incredible handle by Bolds, too. Just the whole play, fun to watch, for sure.

However, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy had a different perspective. Following the game, he took the opportunity to address the performance of his top line, consisting of Jack Eichel, Brett Howden, and Mark Stone, a trio that had previously combined for an impressive total of 70 goals and 201 points during the regular season, contributing to the Knights clinching the Pacific Division title with a commendable 110 points.

Despite their previous successes, this playoff series has seen the Golden Knights top line struggle, managing only two points collectively, both of which were scored by Howden. Theyre elite, world-class players, and theyve got to get going, Cassidy remarked. The other teams top guys are all over the sheet. You know its time.

In contrast, the Wilds star trio of Kaprizov, Boldy, and center Joel Eriksson Ek have shone brightly in the postseason, combining for five goals, nine points, 16 shots on goal, and 15 hits over the course of the two games played. This resurgence is particularly significant for the Wild, who had to navigate the season with both Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek sidelined due to lower-body injuries for a combined total of 77 games. Their return was cautious; Wild coaches were initially reluctant to pair them together when they returned just before the last game of the regular season, opting instead to keep the established trio of Mats Zuccarello, Freddy Gaudreau, and Marcus Johansson intact.

Thats why we made the decision to start the series like that, Hynes explained, referring to their strategy.

As the Wild prepared to fly back to the Twin Cities on Wednesday, Kaprizov was tied for the NHL lead with five playoff points, thanks to two goals and three assists. Boldy has emerged as a pivotal player himself with three goals and an assist. Eriksson Ek, while not yet on the scoreboard, has been instrumental in creating opportunities for his teammates through his relentless play.

The bottom line with those three is theyre all very talented, theyre tenacious competitors, and theyre playing the game thats required to win, Hynes said. Theyre playing north, theyre heavy on pucks, theyre playing in the offensive zone. When they have opportunities to turn plays, like last night, they have the skills to make it.

On the flip side, Cassidy remains optimistic about his teams prospects, despite the quiet performance from his star players thus far. Its early, he noted. I have all the faith in the world in those guys. And that gets over-analyzed early in a series, too. The other night, Jack had a breakaway, Stoney was in all alone They just didnt finish the other night.

He emphasized the importance of dropping previous achievements, stating, No one cares what we did two years ago. Nobody cares. They respect us for what we did, they dont care now. There are 16 teams that want the trophy, and theyre hungry. Every year that starts in the playoffs.

So, some of our guys have got to realize we started Sunday here, so get hungry, get competitive.

Faber acknowledged the efforts of the Wild to contain Vegas top line thus far, but also recognized the potential for change as the series progresses. Theres no secret way to go about it, he mentioned. Theyre going to do everything they can to stop 97, 12, and 14, and sometimes youre able to do that, sometimes youre not.

In the unpredictable nature of hockey, both teams are aware that playoffs can swing dramatically, and Game 3 promises to be a pivotal moment in this thrilling first-round series.