Latest news with #Boldy
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Playoffs 2025 Second-Round Schedule: Dates, Times, Where To Watch
NHL Playoffs: Stutzle, Boldy And Lundell Lead Young Standouts In Round 1 There is no shortage of young players getting into their first NHL playoff action or taking another step in the post-season – and it's only been the first round. 1:15 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Reuters
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Golden Knights try to avoid digging 3-1 hole vs. high-scoring Wild
April 25 - When the Vegas Golden Knights won yet another Pacific Division title and notched the second-best record in the Western Conference with 110 points, they were expected to make a strong run to lift their second Stanley Cup in three years. But the Golden Knights find themselves in must-win mode heading into Saturday's Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round matchup with the Minnesota Wild in Saint Paul, Minn., after losing two games in a row to trail the best-of-seven series, 2-1. Vegas has dropped back-to-back 5-2 decisions to the Wild. Still, center William Karlsson said his team remains confident. "No, there's no need for panic," Karlsson said. "It's one game at a time. All we can focus on is the next one and have the status quo going back to Vegas, and that's what we're aiming for." A win on Saturday afternoon would even the series and give the Golden Knights home-ice advantage going into the final three games. They went 29-9-3 in Las Vegas during the regular season. "The game is over. It's only Game 3," said forward Ivan Barbashev, who had a game-high 11 hits. "We all know what they do, and we just have to work harder to get there." The Golden Knights so far have not found an answer for containing Minnesota's top line. Kirill Kaprizov, who scored two power-play goals in Game 3, is tied for the league lead with seven points this postseason, while linemate Matt Boldy has four goals and six points. Boldy scored what proved to be the game-winner in the second period Thursday when he stole the puck from defenseman Noah Hanifin behind the goal and then cut in front of the net to fire a wrist shot past Adin Hill. "He took it to the net and buried it, and he took it inside, and he took it inside the other night when he stuffed one," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "So he's going to the net, going to the dirty areas. Good for him. That's what you've got to do to score I think this time of year. Give him credit for doing that." While Kaprizov and Boldy have combined for eight goals and 13 points, the Golden Knights' top line featuring Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have yet to register a point so far. Both Eichel, who scored a career-high 94 points in the regular season, and Stone are minus-five in plus-minus. "I think it's our whole team just playing tight together, trying to take time and space away from them," Minnesota center Joel Eriksson Ek said. "Just defending well as a team, five guys and a goalie for sure." Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 of 32 shots in Game 3, including a key pad save on Stone's point-blank backdoor try during a 6-on-4 power-play with 1:42 remaining that would have cut Minnesota's lead to one goal. Marcus Foligno then sealed the win with an empty-netter nine seconds later. "Gus' has been solid and that's what we need from him," Wild coach John Hynes said. "He's made key saves at key times for us, and a lot of times that's the difference in the games." Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon said his team knows there's still plenty of work to be done if it wants to move on to the second round. "It's a new day on Saturday," the Wild captain said. "I think we've done a good job so far of being even-headed. Just going after it is a new challenge, and we've got to do that on Saturday."
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Smith: Wild found formula to ‘frustrate' Golden Knights, take lead in series
ST. PAUL, Minn. — After Tuesday's Game 2 win in Vegas, Wild captain Jared Spurgeon addressed the team in the dressing room. The group has traded in their 'HARD' chain tradition for players of the game; now they pass out the game puck, with it getting put into a case after each win. There are 16 spots for the 16 wins needed to win the Stanley Cup. Advertisement Spurgeon held the puck after the 5-2 win, bringing up why Minnesota feels they can collect more pucks than people think this postseason. 'We all saw the way we have to play to frustrate them,' Spurgeon said of the Golden Knights. 'Every line. Every D-pair.' The Wild certainly have found a working formula this series, with Thursday's win — another 5-2 victory — at a sold-out Xcel Energy Center the latest example. The Golden Knights are the former champs, the favorites, the ones with — sorry, Minnesota fans — a more reliable playoff track record. But the Wild are deservedly in the driver's seat, holding a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. They've flustered and frustrated the Golden Knights, bottling up their top players (Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have zero points in three games). They've battered Vegas' big, touted blueline with a relentless forecheck, forcing them into uncharacteristic mistakes. They're getting better goaltending, with Filip Gustavsson's nine shorthanded saves down the stretch a difference-maker. The Wild's best players are dominant, with Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy taking over. Minnesota came in feeling like they had 'nothing to lose,' as Marcus Foligno put it, but what we've seen is no fluke. They have been the better team for a large chunk of this series. 'We're a confident group,' Ryan Hartman said. 'We were a top team all season. Top five in the league throughout most of the year. And we lost some key guys. You can see out there right now, they're a big part of our team.' The series is far from over, as Wild fans can attest, having seen their team hold a lead in each of the Wild's last four first-round playoff defeats (including a 2-1 advantage in the past two). But Kaprizov and Boldy are playing like they're not going to let their team lose. The dynamic duo has combined for eight goals and 13 points in the first three games, including three goals Thursday. Kaprizov started the game off with a long-range, seeing-eye shot through traffic for a power play goal. Boldy, who has shown a more mature, engaged style since the 4 Nations Face-Off, then came through. He stripped Noah Hanifin on the forecheck, darted in front of the net and beat Adin Hill for his fourth goal of the playoffs. Advertisement Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy called Kaprizov a 'second, third, fourth effort' kind of player, a star who doesn't take 'no' for an answer. Boldy is looking a lot like him lately. They're the second set of teammates in the past 30 years to start a postseason with multiple points in each of their first three games (Jaromir Jagr and Jan Hrdina in 2000). Matt Boldy furiously putting together a sizzle tape these playoffs — Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 25, 2025 'He's got some confidence from the 4 Nations,' Cassidy said of Boldy. 'He's got a world-class player beside him, that helps. But that's how a pair works sometimes. They've got the guy in the middle (Joel Eriksson Ek) who does all the dirty work. The goal Boldy scored … he took it to the net and buried it. He took it inside the other night when he stuffed one. He's going to the net. He's going to the dirty areas. That's what you've got to do to score this time of year.' The Golden Knights did a lot of their damage during the regular season off the rush, but the Wild have limited those chances in the first three games. Vegas has found a way to get a decent amount of zone possession time, but they haven't been able to get inside as much as they want. Their blueline, a catalyst for their team, has been coughing up the puck at abnormal levels. According to NHL Network analyst and Sportlogiq director of analytics Mike Kelly, Vegas has allowed six turnover goals in three games — the most of any playoff team. They had given up the fourth fewest during the regular season. 'Every time you turn back, taking a hit, it wears on you,' Brock Faber said. 'It makes you think twice sometimes. So far, our forward core has been incredible in that and making their D feel that pressure throughout the game. That energy, that commitment to finishing your hit, skating and working, is what's allowed us to make this thing 2-1 so far.' like we said, BIG DAWG IS EATING 🫎 — x – Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 25, 2025 Faber and Jonas Brodin, along with shutdown center Eriksson Ek, have done an excellent job containing the Golden Knights' top line of Eichel, Stone and Ivan Barbashev. In 9:37 of head to head at five-on-five with Kaprizov and Eichel on the ice, the Wild outshot Vegas 15-8 in attempts, earning a 77-percent expected-goals rate. Advertisement 'To us, it's a little wakeup call,' Barbashev said. 'Just got to be harder as a team.' The Golden Knights pulled to within 2-1 midway through the first on a long-range shot by Alex Pietrangelo. Gustavsson was ticked off he let that one in, calling it a 'soft' goal. But the Swedish goaltender bounced back in a big way, and his team gave him more support. The backbreaking goal came in the final seconds of the second period, when Hartman showed the presence of mind to look up at the scoreboard for the time before flinging a shot on net (which bounced in off Kaprizov). 'The fans were yelling, 'Shoot!' as usual,' Hartman said. 'You could never really trust how much time is left because it seems like they're yelling with 20 seconds left in the period. I thought I'd give a check.' Zoomed in on Hartman. Including the celly — Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) April 25, 2025 The goal was deflating for the Golden Knights, who felt they deserved a better fate after that period. 'That goal happens once a year,' Cassidy said. 'Off (Kaprizov's) stomach. You get the puck to the net and you never know what's going to happen. You're going to the room as a team and we're down 4-1 after that period, 'What the hell just happened?' That's hockey some nights. You create your own breaks. They did.' That's how the Wild snuck their way into the postseason. They held the league's best record at points in December, but injuries sparked a second-half slide to where they had to hold onto a wild card spot for dear life. They were down to the last 22 seconds of their season, potentially, when Eriksson Ek scored a game-tying goal against the Ducks in the finale to force overtime (and earn the one point necessary to clinch). The Wild felt they were thrust into playoff-style hockey the final month of the season, with that adversity potentially helping them handle the roller-coaster of the playoffs. Coach John Hynes brought up how they had a couple full practices after the regular season to regroup. They got their full team together, had meetings and went over game plans. The message? Advertisement 'This is our group — we're in,' Hynes said. 'This is what it's going to take to win. This is a playoff mindset as far as the way we need to compete. But there's also a style of game that makes us a hard team to play against and there's a full commitment to that.' Hynes has pushed the right buttons during the series. He made the decision to put touted prospect Zeev Buium in for Game 1 for his NHL debut and stuck with him, and the former University of Denver star picked up his first point Thursday. Hynes elevated Hartman into a top-six role for Game 2, and the veteran forward has been arguably the team's best forward outside of Boldy and Kaprizov in the first three games. Hynes considered making changes on the fourth line and third defense pair for Game 3, but stayed with the same lineup. Marco Rossi, demoted to the fourth line, scored his first NHL playoff goal. 'I had a feeling he was going to be a factor in the series,' Hynes said. Every coach looks smarter when they get strong goaltending, and Gustavsson has remained the team's backbone and MVP. His mental toughness showed after giving up that 'soft' goal in the first. The Swede got mad, but then shrugged it off, shutting the door with nine short-handed saves, including several in the final minutes. Gustavsson's sprawling pad stop on Stone with 90 seconds to go was soon followed by Foligno's empty-netter. Foligno, a heart-and-soul leader, raced to the boards and pounded the glass at screaming fans. They didn't need anyone to pump them up. They were already believers. And the Wild have given them reason to think there could be quite a few more game pucks put in that case this spring.
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Kaprizov, Boldy shine again, Wild chase Golden Knights' goalie in Game 3 victory: Takeaways
By Michael Russo, Jesse Granger and Joe Smith ST. PAUL, Minn. — If the Vegas Golden Knights don't quickly find an answer to neutralize Minnesota Wild first-liners Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, their aspirations for a second Stanley Cup championship in three years will be doused. The Wild stars put on another show on Thursday night in Game 3, as each recorded two points and helped chase Adin Hill from Vegas' net by the start of the third period during a 5-2 victory that had fans inside Xcel Energy Center screaming, dancing and waving towels all night. Advertisement Kaprizov scored two power-play goals and Boldy a goal and assist as the Wild took a 2-1 lead in the first-round series, with Game 4 to be played Saturday afternoon. Conversely, Golden Knights first-liners Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have zero points in the series. Marco Rossi became the fourth Austrian in NHL history to score a playoff goal, Zeev Buium became became the second player in Wild history to record his first career point in the playoffs (after Calen Addison against Vegas in 2021) and Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves, including nine in short-handed situations. Marcus Foligno added a late empty-net goal. The Wild's season-long maligned penalty kill, which was scored upon twice in Game 1, went 4-for-4 in Game 3. Alex Pietrangelo and Reilly Smith scored for Vegas. Don't jump for joy yet if you're a Wild fan, and here's some solace if you're a Golden Knights fan. The Wild, who haven't advanced past the first round since 2015, have held a lead in their past four series that they have lost and have held a 2-1 series lead in their previous two. Kaprizov's two goals gave him seven points, putting him in a tie for the playoff league lead with Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings. Boldy's two goals put him in a tie with Kaprizov for the league lead with four goals. The Wild's two stars are on fire this series and are devouring the Golden Knights' defensemen. There was no bigger example in Thursday's game then Boldy, on a hard forecheck, forcing Noah Hanifin into Minnesota's latest gift. Boldy forced the giveaway, came around the net and fired the puck right through Hill, who has allowed 10 goals in eight periods in this series. Matt Boldy furiously putting together a sizzle tape these playoffs — Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 25, 2025 Kaprizov's second power-play goal came with 1.3 seconds left in the second period when Ryan Hartman, who has 13 points in 14 playoff games over the past three Wild postseasons, looked at the clock, saw how little time there was left and flung a puck at the net from the half wall. BUZZER BEATER FOR THE WILD, KAPRIZOV RIGHT BEFORE ZEROS ON THE CLOCK ⏰ — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 25, 2025 Kaprizov and Boldy became the first Wild players in history with multiple points in each of the Wild's first three contests during a postseason. Kaprizov now has 14 goals in 22 career playoff games — two behind Zach Parise's franchise record, set in 22 more games (44). Boldy tied Parise (three games in 2018) for the second-longest goal streak to begin a postseason in Wild history. Mikko Koivu set the record in 2008 with a four-game goal streak to begin a postseason. Advertisement According to NHL Network analyst and Sportlogiq director of analytics Mike Kelly, the Golden Knights have allowed six turnover goals in three games — most of any playoff team. Vegas allowed the fourth-fewest in the regular season. One of Gustavsson's strengths this season has been letting go. He didn't take games — or bad goals — personally. That quick bounce-back ability — partly learned from future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury — served Gustavsson well as he was the Wild's team MVP this season. And in Thursday's Game 3, Gustavsson's short memory helped him settle in during Minnesota's victory. Pietrangelo's goal midway through the first period — a point shot with no screen or deflection — was one Gustavsson would like to have back. It made it a 2-1 game, giving the Golden Knights some life. But Gustavsson was sharp after that, especially on second- and third-period power plays, when he not only controlled his rebounds but swallowed pucks to keep Vegas at bay. With the Wild up just 4-2 and six minutes left, Gustavsson made two huge saves on a Golden Knights power play — a glove stop on Eichel and a save on a point-blank look by Tomas Hertl in the slot. WHAT A BLAST FROM PETRO!!!!!! ⛽️ — y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 25, 2025 Wild coach John Hynes insinuated Wednesday afternoon that he was considering tweaking the third defense pair and maybe even the fourth line. The speculation was that Zeev Buium, after being on the ice for three goals against in Games 1 and 2, could come out of the lineup for a breather and that Jon Merrill would be inserted — and that Rossi might swap places with Freddy Gaudreau on the second line, and perhaps Vinnie Hinostroza would come in for Justin Brazeau. Advertisement On Thursday morning, during the Wild's optional morning skate, Hynes announced there'd be no lineup changes. 'We liked a lot of our game for the last two games,' Hynes explained. 'I think our team is mentally in a good spot. I'm also a big believer at times of, you have a reason or an instinct to make a change. Sometimes, the instinct isn't there, or the facts maybe aren't really there to make the decision. So you go with what you think is right, and you talk to some players and give them another chance.' Well, in the first period, Buium recorded his first NHL point on Kaprizov's power-play goal through Joel Eriksson Ek's screen, and won a board battle against Nicolas Roy. At 19 years, 138 days, Buium became the second-youngest player in Wild history to record his first playoff point (Pierre-Marc Bouchard was 19 years, 19 days, in Game 4 of the 2003 Western Conference final against Anaheim). Kirill Kaprizov powerplay goal. Zeev Buium first NHL assist #mnwild — Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) April 25, 2025 Then, 3:38 later, Rossi, remaining on the fourth line despite being the Wild's second-leading scorer in the regular season, buried his first career playoff goal from the slot off passes from Trenin and Brazeau. ROSSI MAKES IT 2-0 AND THEY'RE JUMPIN' IN MINNESOTA 😱 — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 25, 2025 Remember, Hynes' inclination to swap Ryan Hartman and Rossi in Game 2 was a big catalyst for that victory. The Golden Knights have struggled with slow starts for most of the season. It continued Thursday night in Minnesota, as Vegas began the game with two penalties and two goals allowed in the first seven minutes of the game. It began with a too-many-men penalty less than three minutes in. Kaprizov cashed in quickly with a shot through traffic that beat Hill to open the scoring. Nic Hague took a tripping penalty minutes later, and while Vegas killed that penalty, the Wild struck again shortly after that with a one-timer in front by Rossi. Advertisement Vegas eventually settled into the game, got a goal from Pietrangelo and controlled possession as the first frame went on, but the slow start forced the Golden Knights to chase the game yet again. Cassidy pulled Hill after he allowed four goals on 21 shots over the first two periods, replacing him with Akira Schmid for the final 20 minutes. Hill has struggled over the last two games, and has a dismal .825 save percentage thus far in the playoffs. He had been a top playoff performer for the Golden Knights over each of the last two years. He was brilliant with a .932 save percentage over 14 starts in Vegas' Stanley Cup run in 2023, finishing third in Conn Smythe Trophy voting. Last season's run was much shorter, but Hill posted a .931 save percentage in three games against the Stars. The start to these playoffs has been very different. The Golden Knights' defense hasn't done Hill many favors over the first three games, but he also hasn't been strong enough to help overcome some of the defensive lapses. He hasn't allowed many goals that would be considered 'soft,' but he also hasn't made the type of saves that Vegas has grown used to, especially in the playoffs. He has struggled seeing through traffic on shots from the point, which was the case on Kaprizov's opening goal on Thursday night. Many of the goals have been on difficult situations, with Hill one-on-one with one of the Wild stars, so those instances are tough to blame on Hill, but Cassidy clearly wants more out of his starting netminder. Schmid stopped the nine shots he faced in the third period in relief. It will be interesting to see how Hill responds to the pull in Game 4 on Saturday afternoon. (Photo of Kirill Kaprizov: David Berding / Getty Images)
New York Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why is the Kirill Kaprizov-Matt Boldy combo so dynamic, and what does it mean for the Wild?
ST. PAUL, Minn. — There are many reasons why the Minnesota Wild earned a split in the first two games in Las Vegas heading into Thursday's Game 3 against the Golden Knights at Xcel Energy Center. Filip Gustavsson is standing tall. Marcus Foligno is setting records for hits. Ryan Hartman is elevating his game. Minnesota is shutting down the Golden Knights' top line, including Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Advertisement But the most encouraging development might be the dynamic one-two punch that Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have brought together on the top line. Kaprizov, the superstar winger, has been the team's best player for years, and might already be the franchise GOAT. But for the Wild to get past the first round — and beyond — they need Boldy to be a difference-maker, too. A Robin to Kaprizov's Batman, if you will. Kaprizov has five points (including two goals) in the first two games, while Boldy has four points (including three goals). 'They're two really good players,' coach John Hynes said. 'I think the mindset they're playing the game with is really what's important. They're playing north — direct. They're highly competitive on the puck. That's what makes those guys good. I think when you're highly talented guys like those two guys are, but they're committed to play the game that's required to win, then they're able to be big impacts.' Matt Boldy is a big fan of this Kirill Kaprizov dish. 🤌 #StanleyCup 📺: @GoldenKnights vs. @mnwild Game 3 tomorrow at 9p ET on @SportsonMax, @Sportsnet and @TVASports 2 — NHL (@NHL) April 23, 2025 Boldy had a rough go in his first two playoff appearances, tallying just one goal (and four points) in 12 games in series against the St. Louis Blues (2022) and Dallas Stars (2023). But you could see an evolution with Boldy this season, as shown in his 4 Nations Face-Off run with Team USA. The Wild have always wanted him to go to the hard areas of the ice and to be determined on the puck, and that's exactly who Boldy was down the stretch. It's how Boldy can be a dominant player. He had 10 game-winning goals this season, including the OT goal in the season finale. 'You want to make a difference,' Boldy said. 'I think everyone on our team has that mentality to go out there and play their role and find a way to win. And I think for me, it's playing hard and strong on pucks and making plays and scoring goals. The more you embrace and accept it and kind of find that as a challenge, I think it helps.' Advertisement With Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov, what's been striking is how they are all playing a direct, north-south game. They're all relentless on the forecheck, strong on puck retrievals. For every eye-popping pass Kaprizov has made, or breakaway Boldy has finished, their success is driven by how hard they are on the puck, and how difficult it is to take it away from them. Kaprizov is one of the best in the league at that. 'He's a very dynamic player,' Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. 'What separates him is he's a second-, third-, fourth-effort guy. Not that other guys aren't. But as I've always said, it's a second-effort league. Very few guys roll through the door that have Mario Lemieux skills and size and all that. You need to be a second-effort guy, and he's all of that. The challenge with him is he's never out of a play. 'He's not a big guy and you might think you have him and, all of a sudden, there he goes. He's not taking no for an answer when it comes to attack mode.' Kaprizov was a Hart Trophy frontrunner when he first got sidelined around Christmas. Neither he, nor the Wild, anticipated him missing approximately three months following surgery for his lower-body injury. But after returning in the final couple weeks of the regular season, Kaprizov is looking like the elite playmaker from early in the season. His 12 career playoff goals have now tied Marian Gaborik for second all time in Wild history, and he only trails Zach Parise (16). Kaprizov is the first Wild player to have three multi-goal playoff games. We're 2 games into this series and Kirill Kaprizov has dropped two absolute DIMES to Matt Boldy 😮💨🥫 — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 23, 2025 'That's the Kirill we expect and know,' Mats Zuccarello said. I hope you guys are not surprised. We've seen this for so many years.' Kaprizov smiled and downplayed his saucer pass to Boldy for Tuesday's breakaway goal, saying he was just trying to get it to him. 'It might be the best pass I've ever seen,' Boldy said. Kaprizov laughed when he was asked if he is the 'new 'Zuccy'' for Boldy, the setup man. 'Boldy is a good passer, too,' he said. Boldy was tasked with stepping up while Kaprizov was injured, and the Russian winger took notice of how Boldy played. Advertisement 'He played before in the season some good games,' Kaprizov said. 'And now especially, he wins battles, drove to the net. Holding pucks. Gives some chances to me and (Eriksson Ek). He plays great. It's just two games, guys, I don't like to talk much, especially when the series is going. Just keep playing.' They don't hand out the Conn Smythe Trophy after two games, and there's a long way to go before the Wild can win this series. But it's certainly been the right move by Hynes to put Boldy and Kaprizov together, as opposed to splitting them up for scoring depth. 'The biggest thing with our line is just getting pucks back, forechecking hard, hanging on to pucks,' Boldy said. 'You can do that and you can stay in the zone and get second, third chances from getting pucks back off shots and retrievals and stuff. It's hard as a defender when you're up there versus guys like that. You end up being in the zone for a while. So when we're playing heavy and strong and then the skill takes over from there — but I think that's the foundation for us.' The Golden Knights really haven't done a strict matchup line against Kaprizov and Boldy, spreading it out among a few lines during Games 1 and 2. They don't have the benefit of last change in the next two games in Minnesota, so that could prove more challenging. In the first two games, the Wild's top line had 62.4-percent expected goals share at five-on-five, and out-chanced opponents 22-8 (73.3 percent). 'They're just unpredictable,' Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin said. 'They're real creative and make a lot of east-to-west plays. They have high-skill players who read off each other well. It's something we have to be better on them, and harder on them, because they drive a lot of their offense.' 'You're giving their best players easy offense,' Cassidy said. 'And in the playoffs, that's a bad formula.' Boldy was impressed with how hard Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov worked to get healthy and back in the lineup after both missed significant time in the second half. 'It's hard mentally, physically, everything,' Boldy said. But if Kaprizov indicated he was feeling a little rusty in his first few games back, it definitely hasn't looked that way in the first two games of the series. Especially that how-did-he-do-that pass on Tuesday night. 'He's a special player, obviously,' Boldy said. 'You see all the plays he makes, how hard he works. But for him to have the poise and to make that pass right on my tape, it was unbelievable.'
