The Minnesota Wild took on the Carolina Hurricanes on the road on Saturday evening, Jan. 4. They were without Jared Spurgeon, Kirill Kaprizov, Jake Middleton, and Jakub Lauko. Still, they found a way to play with a jump in their step. Filip Gustavsson was in the net after having the night off on Thursday evening, Jan. 2, when they beat the Washington Capitals with Marc-André Fleury in the net.
It was a close game to start with and remained close throughout the entire game, even when the Wild jumped out to an early lead. They played their game and came out with the win as they played one of their most all-around games of the season. We’ll look at how they did it, starting with their top players being top players.
Wild’s Top Players Step Up
With all the injuries to the Wild’s lineup, the top line has had times where they struggle with different combinations and finding their rhythm. The combination of Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello, and Matt Boldy had done well, with Rossi and Zuccarello tallying points, but Boldy had struggled a bit until recently.
Boldy found a bit of a spark when his former linemate Joel Eriksson Ek came back from injury, and although they’re on separate lines, that spark hasn’t left. Boldy was back to taking shots again, and he registered an assist on Zuccarello’s two goals, and he wasn’t done there. He recorded a goal late in the third to give his team a 3-0 lead and his 14th goal of the season.
Boldy’s goal was thanks to his and Zuccarello’s linemate Rossi, who has the final spot on that line and recorded a career-high four assists in the game as he assisted on each goal the Wild scored, including the empty netter. The top line combined for a total of 10 points and three of the Wild’s four goals.
Wild’s Special Teams Back
The Wild had a long streak of struggling both on the power play and the penalty kill but not against the Hurricanes, where they succeeded in both areas. They managed to kill off all four penalties they took against a strong power play in the Hurricanes. With each penalty they killed off, they became stronger and more confident in their efforts.
The same can be said about the power play, although they weren’t quite as successful as the penalty kill. It took a little bit of time for the power play to find the back of the net but it was Eriksson Ek doing his thing in front of the net that got the power play on the board. He was in his favorite spot in front and tipped in a Zuccarello shot from the point.
The Wild finally seem to be on the up and up with nearly everything in their game, and they’ll need their power play, and penalty kills to continue their success if they want to keep winning games. It helps that they have some key players back, mainly Eriksson Ek, who is essential to both. Hopefully, he’ll stay healthy for the rest of the season.
Wild’s Gustavsson Gets Shutout
The final reason the Wild were able to come out with the win was their goaltender, Gustavsson. He stepped up and made every crucial save to give his team the chance to come out on top. There were a few close calls, but he ended up with the shutout, his third of the season and ninth of his career.
Related: Filip Gustavsson and Wild Shut Out the Hurricanes 4-0
He only faced 21 shots, which is lower for him, but he also had to make it through four penalty kills. Without his stellar play, the Wild wouldn’t have had a chance to score on the other end, just like he’s done in many games this season. Hopefully, this great play is here to stay, and he can continue to lead his team.
Wild Play Blues
The Wild will host one of their biggest division rivals in the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Jan. 7. This will be the third meeting between the two teams and the first in St. Paul, with the Wild winning both meetings that included the franchise’s first goalie goal from Gustavsson. It’ll be interesting to see what happens now that the Wild will be home, could there be another goalie goal but this time on home ice?
