The Minnesota Wild continued through western Canada for the second game of their road trip when they took on the Vancouver Canucks late Thursday evening, Dec. 7. They were looking to extend their win streak to five games and came out strong, and despite many chances, couldn’t find any scoring in the first. Instead, the Canucks got the first goal of the game and took a 1-0 lead into the second period.
The Wild had to play from behind for the first time under new head coach John Hynes. While they continued to control some of the play, they weren’t as spirited as they were in the first, which cost them scoring chances in the second. They couldn’t find a way to score throughout the middle frame and entered the third still trailing 1-0.
The Wild continued to play flat in the third until the last few minutes when they put on quite the rally but couldn’t get anything past Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith who played like a brick wall all night and put an end to the Wild’s win streak. They fell 2-0 for their first loss under coach Hynes, but thankfully, it wasn’t a debilitating one like earlier in the season.
Wild Start Strong
For the fifth game in a row, the Wild started strong with fast skating, strong passing, and excellent overall play. They were all over the ice, and every time the Canucks gained control, the Wild would steal it right back. The first period was easily some of the best hockey they’d played all season, with the only problem being their lack of scoring.
They held the Canucks to zero shots on goal until over 13 minutes into the first, while the Wild had already recorded 10. Not only were they good offensively, but they also had their sticks in passing lanes constantly, made smooth line changes, and had clean breakouts. It seemed like everything was perfect until a tiny breakdown that led to the Canucks’ first goal of the game to end the first period.
Wild Fall Flat in Second
It seemed like the Wild were a different team when they came out in the second period. They skated a lot slower and allowed the Canucks to control the play, which meant a lot of pressure was put on Filip Gustavsson in the net. Their passes started to get picked off, and they had a lot of lucky bounces that kept the puck out of their net despite point-blank chances for the Canucks.
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They did get a small resurgence towards the end of the period thanks to some solid play by Marcus Foligno, Pat Maroon, Frédérick Gaudreau, and Jared Spurgeon. They fought hard for the puck and consistently grinded the whole time, something their teammates should’ve been doing when they started playing slower. When one part of their game is lacking, other parts have to step up, and unfortunately, they didn’t and that contributed to the loss.
Wild’s Ups & Downs
The Wild suffered their first loss after winning the past four games, and although they lost, they did have a couple of small bright spots. The first was their penalty kill that went 100 percent, and again, Foligno and Gaudreau showed how strong they could play. They showed some hustle and had good sticks to force the penalty kill in their favor.
The other bright spot outside their first-period play was their ability to change on the fly. In the past, when the Wild were down, they would maybe make one slight adjustment in hopes it would spark some scoring. This time, they were adjusting their lines based on which side of the ice they were taking the faceoffs to ensure they had the best chance to win possession. It may seem small, but little changes can make the difference between winning and losing a faceoff, and thus, a scoring chance.
The main downside was their energy collapse in the second and third periods, but outside of that, the Wild’s power play was unsuccessful on the single chance they had. That lone opportunity could’ve been their chance to get back in the game with plenty of time to score more goals. The power play has been a problem for most of the season and could be a game-changer if they succeed.
Wild Face Oilers
The Wild won’t have long to think about their loss as they’ll head to Edmonton for the second game of their back-to-back on Friday night, Dec. 8. The Edmonton Oilers are on a five-game win streak, and the Wild will have to harness their play from their previous wins if they hope to get past them.
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They’ll have to keep an eye on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but they’ll also have to stop Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Evander Kane. However, to get past the Oilers, the Wild will also have to find a way to score some goals, which means getting past Stuart Skinner in net.
If the Wild can play like they did in the first period against the Canucks, but of course, find a way to score goals, they’ll be in good shape. It also would help if their power play found some success, but regardless, they’re playing better and hopefully will get back on the winning track against the Oilers.