Wild finally succumb to Golden Knights’ relentless pressure

Minnesota finally ran out of answers.

The Wild responded to each of the Golden Knights’ first two goals in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the West Division foes Friday night, but the relentless pressure finally wore them down, ending their season with a 6-2 loss.

“We all felt like we could beat these guys,” Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter said. “Everyone else might think one thing, but this group of guys felt confident in ourselves. We’re pretty disappointed that it’s ended the way it has.”

The game was only necessary because Minnesota responded to a 3-1 series deficit by winning two straight and forcing the winner-take-all matchup at T-Mobile Arena.

“We all firmly believed with where we were a few days ago down 3-1, then making this thing 3-3, we all firmly believed we were going to win this game,” Wild forward Zach Parise said.

They had positive responses to adversity again Friday.

After the Knights dominated for the first 15 minutes and led 1-0, Parise cleverly tipped a puck between his legs and under Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the score late in the period.

Rookie star Kirill Kaprizov then matched Nicolas Hague’s early second-period goal with one of his own on a power play to tie the score 2-2.

The Knights then dialed up the pressure and seized a 4-2 lead in the second period. This time, Minnesota couldn’t respond.

“Making it 2-2, we were in a great position,” Parise said. “Then they got those two to make it 4-2. We didn’t quit. We played and competed, but we just couldn’t get that third one.”

The Wild’s season ends with plenty of questions about what could have been had things gone a bit differently.

“We had a couple chances in the first,” Suter said. “(Goaltender Cam Talbot) played solid. We just had a hard time getting anything going. It wasn’t for lack of effort. I thought everybody left it out there and played hard. We just weren’t able to get that third goal.”

Kaprizov nearly gave Minnesota a lead early in the second period when he fired a rocket over Fleury’s shoulder that could have put the Wild in a different situation.

Coach Dean Evason also pointed to a possible high-stick by Hague on Nick Bjugstad that went uncalled in the second period when his team was in need of a break.

“I think Kirill hits the crossbar, which could have made it 2-1 for us,” Evason said. “I think that’s probably a key point in the game. Likely the missed high stick would have been a four-minute penalty. He was smashed up pretty good in the face. That’s a key moment in the game. There were several.

“But they took advantage of their key moments, and we didn’t. That’s likely the difference in the game.”

Evason had hoped to fly straight to Colorado after the game. Instead, the Wild will fly home.

“These are all brutal,” Parise said. “Anytime you’re eliminated from the postseason, it’s not fun.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.