Game Preview: Wild at Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The Wild is back on the road as the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline looms (trading closes at 2 p.m. CT). Tonight, the Wild will face off against the Golden Knights, looking to secure a final win and earn the series sweep against Vegas.

The Wild has made two moves as the clock ticks toward the 2 p.m. deadline. The first transaction gained the Wild Michael McCarron from Nashville in exchange for a second round pick in the 2026 Draft; the second brought Jeff Petry to Minnesota from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a seventh round pick in the 2026 Draft. That draft pick becomes a fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft if Minnesota wins two playoff rounds and Petry plays in 50 percent or more of the Wild’s playoff games during those first two rounds.

Stay tuned on Wild.com all day for more Wild trade deadline news, or download the Official Minnesota Wild App to have the latest updates sent right to your fingertips.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Friday, March 6th at 9:00 p.m. CT
• Where: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Stream: FanDuel Sports North
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Wild at Golden Knights

Wild Record: 36-16-10

Golden Knights Record: 29-19-14

2025-26 Series Record: 2-0-0

All-Time Wild Record: 15-11-4 (7-7-1 at Vegas)

Wild Trade Deadline: What's Going On

Minnesota Wild Acquires Defenseman Jeff Petry from the Florida Panthers (3/5/26)

Minnesota Wild Acquires Forward Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators (3/3/26)

Last Time Out

This Season on Wild vs. Golden Knights

Minnesota won the series-opening game, 3-2, in overtime at Grand Casino Arena (11/16) and the second contest, 5-2, at T-Mobile Arena (12/29).

LW Marcus Johansson leads the Wild with five points (1-4=5) in the series after recording four points (1-3=4) in the second game, tying his single-game career high. LW Matt Boldy (1-2=3) and C Joel Eriksson Ek (2-1=3) have three points each. G Filip Gustavsson is 2-0-0 with a 1.93 GAA and 902 SV% in starting both games.

LW Ivan Barbashev leads the Golden Knights with three assists in the series. RW Pavel Dorofeyev (1- 1=2) and RW Mitch Marner (0-2=2) each own two points. G Carl Lindbom stopped 25-of-28 shots faced for Vegas in the first game. G Carter Hart stopped seven-of-12 shots faced in starting the second game, before G Akira Schmid saved all 15 shots faced in relief to end the game.

Wild Leaders Against Golden Knights

• Eriksson Ek leads the Wild with 18 points (9-9=18) in 26 career games vs. Vegas
• LW Kirill Kaprizov has 17 points (11-6=17) in 18 games
• RW Vladimir Tarasenko has 16 points (5-11=16) in 20 games
• Johansson (4-11=15 in 21 games) and RW Mats Zuccarello (4-11=15 in 26 games) have 15 points each

Knights Leaders Against Wild

• RW Mark Stone leads Vegas with 29 points (6-23=29) in 25 career games against Minnesota
• LW Brandon Saad has 28 points (14-14=28) in 52 career games
• C Tomas Hertl owns 26 points (11-15=26) in 34 games
• C Jack Eichel has 20 points (7-13=20) in 16 games.

View all transactions

On the Mend

Marcus Foligno: lower body (two games missed)

Full Injury Report

Connections

• Vegas Assistant Coach Joel Ward made his NHL debut with Minnesota and appeared in 11 games with the Wild in 2006-07
• C Nic Dowd played four seasons (2010-14) at St. Cloud State, where he served as captain and was a Hobey Baker finalist in 2013-14

Fast Facts

• Minnesota ranks fourth in the NHL in wins (15) and T-3rd in points (34) all-time against Vegas
• Vegas defeated Minnesota in six games in the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.