The Minnesota Wild got off to a rocky start against the St. Louis Blues after having a two-day break. They got down early after taking a penalty and gave up another shorthanded goal. That kept the Wild on their heels for most of the first period, but they snuck one in with a little over two minutes left to tie the game. They carried that momentum into the second period where they scored halfway through the period to take the lead.
They added another goal 18 seconds into the third period to take a two-goal lead, but it lasted four minutes before the Blues found a way past Cam Talbot to get back within a goal. They pushed back harder and tied the game at three with under 10 minutes to go in regulation. Neither team could score before the final buzzer and it went to overtime. The Blues snatched the extra point when they scored the winner.
It was the Wild’s second straight loss but they did get five points out of eight possible on their road trip. The Wild continued to be without Matt Boldy and Jon Merrill, but Jordie Benn joined the defense in place of Matt Dumba who was injured in their loss to the Nashville Predators.
Wild’s Scorers Find the Net
The Wild’s leading scorers were at it again; Kevin Fiala started things off for the Wild with his 24th goal of the season and his first goal since their win over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 29. He was followed by their top scorer, Kirill Kaprizov. He scored his 41st goal on a pass, not from his own teammate, but from a Blues player who tried to make a cross-zone pass but landed it right on Kaprizov’s stick.
That goal got him one closer to the franchise record. The next goal he scores will tie the record for most goals in a single season for the Wild. It’s currently 42 goals held by both Marián Gáborík and Eric Staal. Kaprizov’s linemate Mats Zuccarello is currently tied for the franchise record in assists for a season as well with 50.
Wild’s Penalty Kill Drops Again
The Wild’s penalty kill continues to be a thorn in their side. The first goal of the game was scored on the power play for the Blues. Their defense fell into the same trap they have for the majority of the season, they left a forward open near the open side of the net and it was an easy goal for the Blues. Talbot had no chance to stop it.
It was the second straight game they let in a shorthanded goal. While the penalty kill was the main problem, the power play didn’t have a chance, either. They had two opportunities but couldn’t capitalize on either one. They scored a power-play goal in their last game against the Nashville Predators, but couldn’t keep the streak going.
Wild’s Middleton Makes His Mark
Jacob Middleton has been with the team less than a month but he’s made an impression. Not only does he have a mustache like former Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck, but he hits like him, too. However, that wasn’t his dominant feature in their game against the Blues. He had the chance to show his offensive talents and he made the most of it. He scored his first goal in a Wild sweater and at the time it looked to be the goal to put the game away.
Related: Wild’s Roster Has Room for Improvement as Postseason Nears
The goal was also his first point with the Wild; he not only scored a goal, but also had four shots on net. He was very aggressive offensively but he didn’t forget his main job on the ice as a defenseman. He had one hit, two blocked shots and a takeaway. He was truly all over the ice and proved his versatility as a two-way player. He also had a total of 19:27 minutes of ice time, plus a short stint on the penalty kill.
Wild Return Home
After almost a week on the road, the Wild will return to their beloved Xcel Energy Center for a couple of home games. They’ll face the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers before they head on the road once again. The Kings will be coming off of a close loss to the Oilers as well as a loss to the Calgary Flames before that. They’ll be eager to get back on the winning track, so the Wild will have to be prepared.
The Wild’s defense will have to be ready for the scoring prowess of Anže Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault, and Trevor Moore. Not only will they have to deal with the scorers but they’ll have to find a way to get past goaltender Cal Petersen. He and Jonathan Quick have rotated the starting spot and it looks to be Petersen’s turn.
The Wild may get some of their scoring back as Boldy is expected to return from his injury. However, their defense will still be without Merrill and Dumba. It’ll be Marc-André Fleury’s turn in net and he’ll be looking to avenge his loss against the Predators. Hopefully, being back at home can make this losing streak a quick one and they can switch back to the winning track plus get back in sole possession of second place in the standings.
Mariah Holland is a contributing Minnesota Wild writer for THW as well as a cohost on the THW Youtube show Chicks & Sticks which produces a new show every Friday. She’s been covering the Wild at THW for just over eight months and has been on Chicks & Sticks since it started in early May. She is always looking for different angles to cover the Wild and dig deeper into the stories surrounding the team.