Dorofeyev has 2 goals and an assist, Golden Knights beat the Wild 4-1 for share of NHL lead

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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) and Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) dives past Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) and goaltender Adin Hill, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) high-fives teammates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev reacts after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Minnesota Wild center Marcus Johansson (90) and right wing Ryan Hartman (38) celebrate after Hartman’s goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Minnesota Wild center Marat Khusnutdinov, right, checks Vegas Golden Knights right wing Cole Schwindt, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill chases down the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) skates past Minnesota Wild defenseman Declan Chisholm (47) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Minnesota Wild defenseman Travis Dermott (44) and goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) defend against a shot by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) pushes Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

By MARK ANDERSON

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Pavel Dorofeyev had two power-play goals and added an assist and the Vegas Golden Knights broke open a tie game with three third-period goals to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Sunday night.

The Golden Knights joined Washington and Winnipeg atop the NHL with 61 points, avoiding their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Tomas Hertl added a goal and an assist, Keegan Kolesar scored the tiebreaker and Mark Stone and Shea Theodore each had two assists. Adin Hill made 15 saves.

Ryan Hartman scored for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson stopped 32 shots.

Jack Eichel, who leads the Golden Knights with 54 points, did not play because of an illness. Vegas, however, got back center Nicolas Roy after he missed 11 games because of an upper-body injury.

Unless these teams meet in the postseason, this was Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s final game at T-Mobile Arena. Fleury played for the Golden Knights from their inaugural season in 2017-18 until 2021 and still is arguably the most popular player in the franchise’s short history.

He didn’t play against his old club, but was cheered and fans chanted his name in pregame, when the Golden Knights saluted him on the video board at the first timeout and in the final minutes.

Takeaways

Wild: After taking a 1-0 lead, Minnesota was not able to capitalize on the lead. The Wild were outshot 17-6 in the second period as the Golden Knights began to seize control.

Golden Knights: Both of Dorofeyev’s goals were on the power play, giving Vegas four in four games.

Key moment

Kolesar scored off Zach Whitecloud’s rebound to put the Golden Knights ahead 2-1 4:09 into the third period.

Key stat

3 hours, 43 minutes — The time between five-on-five goals for the Golden Knights when Kolesar scored in the third.

Up next

The Wild host Edmonton on Wednesday night. The Golden Knights are at Nashville on Tuesday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl