Knights’ puck luck runs dry Video Game day

Losing skid at two as Minnesota strikes for three in third

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The puck has bounced the Golden Knights’ way on several occasions this season.

But their “puck luck” ran out on Thursday.

The Knights were on the wrong side of two unfortunate bounces in the third period and hit the post three Golden Knights vs. Wild highlights, postgame reaction and Review-journal reporter David Schoen recaps the action from Minnesota.

▶ reviewjournal.com/vgkwild

times in a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center before a sellout crowd of 19,084.

Eric Staal scored the go-ahead goal with 7:55 remaining and added an empty-netter for Minnesota, as the Knights (15-8-1) dropped their second straight game and fell two points behind first-place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. ■ Who: Golden Knights vs. Jets

■ When: 5 p.m. Friday

■ Where: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba

■ TV: AT&T Sportsnet (Cox 313/1313, Directv 684, Centurylink 760/1760, U-verse 757/1757)

■ Radio: KRLV (98.9 FM, 1340 AM) ■ Line: Jets -180; total 6; under -115

“They hit one post that went in, and we hit three that didn’t go in,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “(Minnesota) played a good game. It was two teams I thought competed real hard,

KNIGHTS

and they got some bounces and I thought that’s why they won the game.”

Brayden Mcnabb and Jonathan Marchessault scored 1:57 apart early in the third period to put the Knights up 2-1, but the lead vanished less than a minute later.

Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin drove a shot from the point, and the puck deflected off Mcnabb’s stick while he was tied up with Nino Niederreiter to even the score at the 5:27 mark.

“We had a good start (in the third period) and the one goes off my stick and in,” Mcnabb said. “It’s tough. I thought we played well.”

Staal then gave Minnesota (12-10-3) the lead when he pounced on a loose puck in the slot.

Wild defenseman Matt Dumba was able to hold the zone and ripped a shot from the right wing. But the puck hit Knights defenseman

Deryk Engelland in the hand and fell right to Staal, leaving goalie Malcolm Subban stranded.

“It’s tough. You want to reward guys for blocking shots,” Subban said. “I love the fact that these guys are willing to block shots for me. Obviously, it’s a tough balance.”

Subban finished with 28 saves, including a sprawling stop on Niederreiter to keep the game tied at 1 early in the third period.

“Nothing he could do on those goals,” Gallant said. “He made some great saves and kept us in that hockey game. I thought he played a great game.”

Reilly Smith had a golden chance with four minutes left for the Knights, but Wild defenseman Ryan Murphy poked the puck away before Smith could get his shot away.

Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk also robbed Marchessault from a steep angle in the final minute with a sprawling stick save.

“It was a game of inches, honestly,” Knights forward Alex Tuch said. “It just kind of went their way. I thought that overall we played a pretty strong game, especially defensively.”

Mcnabb, who signed a four-year, $10 million contract extension on Wednesday, broke a 102:44 scoring drought for the Knights when he stepped into a drop pass