Wild grab series lead with OT win in Vegas

In Las Vegas, Minnesota’s Joel Eriksson Ek scored with 3:20 gone in extra time on Sunday for an improbable, 1-0, decision over the G9lden Knights.

“It all started on that draw,” Eriksson Ek said. “‘Greener’ and [Foligno] did a great job getting back there. You have a sense where the puck’s going to go.”

The win gives the Wild a 1-0 series lead.

“This is just the start for us in this series,” Minnesota’s Jordan Greenway said. “We feel there’s definitely more we can do. It’s a good team we played against; hard game, but yeah, we’re going to build off that. We have more we can bring.”

Cam Talbot made 42 saves to steal the road win.

“The longer it stays scoreless, it favors us,” Talbot said. “We bent in the first period, but we knew they were going to have a push and come out hard. Fleury was unbelievable there in the second (13 saves). Great game by both teams, happy to come out on top.”

The game-winner came off a forced turnover created by the Wild’s Marcus Foligno f on the left boards; Greenway got the puck and slipped below the goal line before passing to the slot where Eriksson Ek needed t stick before putting a shot on goal that deflected off Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez and into the net.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. “I thought we played a pretty good game to start, played the first 25, 30 minutes really well, and they had a little bit of a push. [Fleury] made some big saves. But it’s a 1-0 game in overtime. We’ve got to find ways to score goals.”

Game 2 of the series is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

“The puck hit something,” Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “I was going to my left, and then he brought it back on my blocker side. I just tried to push as quick as I could, and I just got a piece on the finger. It was close, but it was a nice feeling to get that one.”

Fleury made 29 saves in the loss.

“He was great,” Vegas head coach Peter DeBoer said. “I think it was an easy decision. When you look at our season, I thought both goaltenders were excellent, but [Fleury] really carried us during some of the tougher periods and really was consistent all season and was great down the stretch too. Fairly easy decision and nice luxury to have two guys like we have.”