Howden scores twice and Golden Knights beat Wild 4-2 in Game 1

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brett Howden had never scored double-digit goals until this season. Then he went out and scored 23.

Turns out, Howden isn't finished.

He had what turned out to be the game-winning goal and later delivered an empty netter, and the Vegas Golden Knights opened their first-round Western Conference playoffs series with a 4-2 victory Sunday night over the Minnesota Wild.

Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said he told Howden to stick with what he did in the regular season rather than try to do too much in the playoffs. Howden had just six career postseason goals before this game.

“He didn't change his game,” Cassidy said. “He played physical. He's part of our penalty kill. He's always out when the goalie's out, typically one of the six guys we use a lot because of his versatility. He can play wing. He can take draws as a center. He's been real good for us all year and good again tonight.”

Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights.

“I've been long excited for this moment,” Hertl said. “I always try to play my game, and I think it's kind of playoff style. I'm glad I could help the team today. It was a team effort.”

Pavel Dorofeyev scored the other Vegas goal, and Adin Hill made 18 saves.

Matt Boldy scored both Wild goals, Kirill Kaprizov assisted on both and Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

“I think both teams came to play hard,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Pretty strong defensive efforts. Not a lot of special teams in the game. I thought we did a lot of good things to build on moving forward.”

Both teams traded goals in the first period. Hertl took the puck from Minnesota's Brock Faber and hit the net from just inside the front side of the left circle. The Wild answered 2:20 later when Kaprizov delivered a cross-ice pass to Boldy, who scored off the rush.

Dorofeyev scored the only goal in the second period when Hertl won the faceoff to open a power play. The puck went to Shea Theodore, who skated to the center and set up Dorofeyev for a blast from the right circle. Dorofeyev has scored goals in three consecutive games going back to the end of the regular season.

Howden extended the Vegas lead to 3-1 early in the third period, but Boldy's wrap-around goal with 8:14 left brought Minnesota to within one. Howden added an empty-netter with less than 1 second remaining, the Golden Knights' second power-play goal.

Wild 19-year-old defenseman Zeev Buium made his NHL debut by playing on the third pair with Zach Bogosian. He played 13:37 with a shot on goal. Buium was playing for Denver just 10 days earlier in the NCAA's Frozen Four.

Linesman Bryan Pancich left the game 3:37 into the second period after a collision with Howden. Backup official Frederick L’Ecuyer took Pancich’s place.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) attempts to make a save during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) skates past Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates with defenseman Shea Theodore (27) and center Tomas Hertl (48) after Dorofeyev's goal during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) skates past Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) stops a shot from Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) skates after a loose puck while Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) looks on during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) scores a goal past Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) and goaltender Adin Hill (33) during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Minnesota Wild center Gustav Nyquist (41) and left wing Marcus Foligno (17) check Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) checks Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Casey Dawson secured a spot in the men's 5,000 meters in long track speedskating at the Milan Cortina Winter Games by winning that event at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — an distance not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event at the Beijing Games four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)