Even though the Wild won their season opener last night, its never too late for a season preview!

Last Season
Last year the Wild finished 3rd in the Central and made the playoffs. They fell to Dallas in 6 games in what was an interesting series. Minnesota overall had a good year last year, just not the improvement in the postseason that fans were looking for. They hope to make that jump this year.

Offseason Moves
Minnesota was not too active over the offseason this year. They resigned standout goalie Filip Gustavsson to a 3 year deal to keep him with the Wild through 2026. This is a big deal in the direction of the goalie room for Minnesota, with future hall of famer Marc Andre-Fleury potentially retiring at the end of this coming season or the next. Rotation forward Brandon Duhaime was resigned on a one year deal as well as defensemen Calen Addison. Wing Mats Zuccarello got a two year contract extension and wing Marcus Foligno got a four year contract extension. Ryan Hartman also got a three year contract extension. 

Expectations
This year, I would expect Minnesota to have a similar regular season to last year. Hopefully it features a good finishing streak into the playoffs. Personally, I think 2nd or 3rd in the Central is most certainly attainable. Which would mean the same playoff spot as last year, and I think Minnesota is capable of getting over that hump. The Wild have to find it sometime right? The Twins finally won a playoff game so that means the Wild carry over I am sure of it.

Go Wild!

The Minnesota Wild returned home and treated Wild fans with a great 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars to take a 2-1 series lead!

Final: Dallas Stars 1 Minnesota Wild 5

Scoring summary:
1st period:
MIN Mats Zuccarello-1 (Assisted by Hartman, Klingberg) 16:45
2nd period:
MIN Marcus Johansson-2 (Assisted by Boldy) 2:14
DAL Luke Glendening-1 (Assisted by Kiviranta, Faksa) 2:25
MIN Marcus Foligno-1 PP (Assisted by Nyquist, Spurgeon) 11:24
3rd period:
MIN Mats Zuccarello-2 (Assisted by Hartman, Klingberg) 14:07
MIN Ryan Hartman-2 ENG (Assisted by Middleton) 18:10

Game summary:
Minnesota came into this game needing some good consecutive minutes. They sure got them in the 1st period! The Wild were aggressive from the start and seemed to put Dallas on their heels. This resulted finally in a goal with just a few minutes remaining in the 1st period. A scramble play in front of the Dallas net left it wide open for Zuccarello to tap the puck in. 
In the 2nd period, things started to get interesting. Only 2 minutes in, Marcus Johansson scored off a decent shot from mid range. However, only 10 seconds later Dallas scored on a broken play by the net. The Wild PA announcer hadn't even finished his announcement of the Wild goal yet. Then, midway through the period with the Wild on a power play, Foligno redirects a shot from Gustav Nyquist for the power play goal. It was reviewed for high sticking, but deemed to be level with the crossbar so it was a good goal. 
In the 3rd period the Wild carried what seemed to be a crushing 3-1 lead. Minnesota continued to put the pressure on and managed to finally get another puck across the line around 5 mins to go from Mats Zuccarello. Not long after this, Dallas pulls their goalie and attempts to put the pressure on Minnesota in a 6 on 5. This doesn't work to their advantage though and Ryan Hartman sends a screamer into the net from almost the Minnesota goal line. This would seal it for Minnesota!

This win gives Minnesota the 2-1 series lead, and a big opportunity for the Wild on Sunday to take advantage and add to their series lead. This is a historic win for Minnesota, its their 2nd ever early series lead and their first since their 2015 series win over St. Louis in 6 games.

Up Next
Minnesota will host Dallas again in Game 4 on Sunday at 5:30 PM CT.

Go Wild!!

So, Game 1 was a defensive grind that went until 1 AM, and Game 2 there was no defense. 

Game 1: Minnesota Wild 3 Dallas Stars 2 (2OT)
Game 2: Minnesota Wild 3 Dallas Stars 7

Game Summaries:
In Game 1, the Wild were on their game from the very beginning of the night. Right away, they were hitting their marks and putting Dallas on their heels. This was working and Minnesota was getting valuable chances, it was just a matter of time before a goal got through Otteninger. That goal did happen, with about 5 mins to go in the 1st period, Jared Spurgeon fires off a shot and it deflects off Kirill Kaprizov's stick and into the net for the Wild's first goal of the series and first lead. This carried into the first intermission. In the 2nd period, things got a little wonky. The Wild committed a penalty and the Stars started their power play with a goal 6 seconds in to tie the game. Then no more then a minute later, the Wild committed another penalty. This time the Stars scored only 3 seconds into the power play. Suddenly its 2-1 Stars. This would continue through into the 3rd period, but not before a standard hit put on Pavelski by Minnesota's Matt Dumba causes a fight. After this, the Wild seemed to hit a different gear. In the 3rd period, the Wild would wind up scoring around halfway through. But neither team could break the tie despite power plays for both teams through regulation. Then in the 1st overtime, neither team was able to score. But both teams were able to get scoring chances, and the Stars claimed that lead. In the 2nd overtime, the Wild continued to play good defense, but everyone was getting tired. Finally after a mistake around the Dallas net, the Wild's Ryan Hartman scores to give the Wild the Game 1 win! This was also the longest game in Minnesota Wild history.
In Game 2, things got a lot uglier. Dallas scored first on a power play in the 1st period. Minnesota would score 4 minutes later to tie it. Unfortunetly for the Wild, the Stars would score on yet another power play before the end of the 1st period. In the 2nd period, it got very ugly. Dallas would score another goal on a power play. Then weirdly enough, Minnesota scored 2 goals 38 seconds apart from each other to cut the deficit to one goal. After that though, Dallas would score 2 goals themselves only 48 seconds apart. In the 3rd period, the Stars would score another goal to bring us the final score of 7-3. However, in the waning several minutes in the 3rd period, the teams got very chippy. 10 total players were handed misconduct penalties. 

Minnesota played very well in Game 1, and then played terrible defense in Game 2. Marc-Andre Fleury started game 2 and did not look great, but his defense didn't help him much either. So, the Wild will hope to regroup and reload on defense in their return to St. Paul for Games 3 and 4. 

Up Next
The series will now shift back to St. Paul and the Xcel Energy Center when the Wild host the Stars for Game 3 on Friday at 8:30 PM CT. On Sunday, Minnesota will host Game 4 at 5:30 PM CT.

​Go Wild!!

Its that time again Minnesota hockey fans!! Its playoff hockey time!!

Minnesota will take on Central division rival Dallas in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

How They Got Here
Minnesota has largely had a really good season since the turn of the new year. The Wild were not doing great heading into the Christmas season and rebounded in a big way afterwards. To put it in perspective, before the final week and a half of the season, the Wild had only lost 4 games in regulation since early January. However, in early March, disaster struck. Minnesota star wing Kirill Kaprizov was checked like a sandwich and put on the injured list with an abdomen injury. The dominoes would continue to fall when Joel Erikkson Ek also went out with an injury. Kaprizov has since returned to the Wild, but since the team clinched a playoff berth a couple weeks back he hasn't had much ice time. Erikkson Ek is day-to-day still as the Wild head to the playoffs. Given that he has skated with the team recently in free skate, it is anticipated he will return to the lineup very soon.
Dallas has a similar story. Except, the Stars have been great since the season opener. Dallas started the year at the top of the division. They stumbled around the middle of the year but have also been very good since early January. They were in play for the Central's top seed until they lost in overtime in the final week of the season and Colorado won their final few games. 

Regular Season Series
Minnesota and Dallas played 4 times in the regular season, with a split of 2 games apiece between the teams. Both teams claimed a home and away game in the series. Only two games went past the 3rd period, and the Wild claimed both of their wins in this fashion in shootouts. The teams opened the series in December with a Wild shoutout win in Dallas. Then the Wild hosted the next game just before the new year and the Stars dominated for a 4-1 win. Domination continued in the next matchup, this time in Dallas for another 4-1 win in early February. However, in mid February, the Wild claimed the final game in a shootout at home for a 2-1 win. 
What can be drawn from this series? Well, the Wild seem to know how to beat the Stars in shootout. But thats about it. 

Up Next
Minnesota will begin the series against the Stars in Dallas on Monday, April 17th at 8:30 PM CT.

​Lets Go Wild!!

The NHL regular season is upon us! The Wild begin their season tomorrow night (Oct 13) against the Rangers, so lets evaluate their offseason.

Key Departures
The Wild traded F Kevin Fiala away to the Los Angeles Kings over the summer, as they believed they couldn't pay the star forward with former players Parise and Suter's buyouts still on the payroll for a few years. In exchange, the Wild received D Brock Faber from the Kings. 
Minnesota also dealt goalie Cam Talbot away to Ottawa in exchange for G Filip Gistavsson. This came as a surprise to many Wild fans, since it had sounded like GM Bill Guerin was on board to keep both goalies in the State of Hockey since they provided a nice 1-2 punch duo.

Roster Analysis
Here is how the lines will look for Minnesota this year:
*- Team Captain
Forwards:
1. Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello
2. Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek, Marcus Foligno
3. Brandon Duhaime, Freddy Gaudreau, Matt Boldy
4. Connor Duwar, Marco Rossi, Tyson Jost

Defensemen:
1. Jacob Middleton, Jared Spurgeon*
2. Jonas Brodin, Matt Dumba
3. Alex Goligoski, Calen Addison

Goalies:
Starter: Marc-Andre Fleury
Backup: Filip Gustavsson

The forwards and defensemen are largely unchanged for the Wild this year. Fleury is now the sole goalie that will play the majority of games.

Here we go with the season start! 

​Lets go Wild!!

The Minnesota Wild are on the brink of elimination yet again. Feels like deja 'vu.

Final Score: St. Louis Blues 5 Minnesota Wild 2

Stat Recap:
Minnesota:
Scorers:
K. Kaprizov 2 goals 5 shots -5
K. Fiala 2 assists 1 shot -1
M. Zuccarello 1 assist 2 shots -1
Goalie:
M. Fleury 4 goals allowed 27 saves 87.1 SV% 

Game Recap:
I haven't been this disappointed in the Wild in a while. They had the opportunity for the game in front of them and just let it slip away. St. Louis scored first in the 1st period. Kaprizov scored soon after to even the game at one a piece. He scored again 50 seconds later to give the Wild their only lead of the game. That would conclude the scoring for Minnesota. St. Louis scored 4 straight goals.
I will be honest, I am not quite sure how the Wild come back from this. Do they switch goalies do they make a line change? Not sure, couldn't tell ya, and I am glad I don't make those decisions.

Injury Report
While there were plenty of dirty hits dished out by the Blues in this game it doesn't appear any of the Wild players are injured.

Up Next
The Wild head back to St. Louis for Game 6 staring series point in the face. The game starts on Thursday, May 12th at 8:30 PM CT and will be broadcast on TNT and BSN.

Go Wild!!

The Minnesota Wild couldn't manage the pull off the comeback in Game 4.

Final Score: Minnesota Wild 2 St. Louis Blues 5

Stat Recap:
Minnesota:
Scorers:
K. Kaprizov 1 goal 6 shots +0
M. Boldy 1 goal 3 shots +1
F. Gaudreau 1 assist 3 shots +1
R. Hartman 1 assist 4 shots +0
Goalie:
M. Fleury 4 goals allowed 29 saves 87.9 SV%

Game Recap:
Minnesota came out of the tunnel not nearly as locked in as previous nights. The Wild were more scrappy and not as focused. They allowed an early goal after Fleury misplaced where the puck went after a save. The Wild scored 5 minutes later off a one-timer from Kaprizov. In the 2nd period the Wild fell apart for most of it. The Blues scored two more goals off of sloppy plays by Minnesota as well as an own goal. 
In the 3rd period, the Wild scored with Matt Boldy's first career playoff goal to make a one goal game. But as soon as the Wild pulled Fleury it all fell apart. This wasn't the same team that had multiple comebacks during the regular season, they just couldn't put anything together.

Injury Report:
No injuries again, but Hartman had a nasty hit in the 3rd period that sent him to the bench. 

Up Next:
Now the Wild will head home for Game 5 against the Blues. Puck drop is at 8:30 PM CT on Tuesday, May 10th and will be broadcast on ESPN and BSN.

​Go Wild!

The Minnesota Wild absolutely dominated the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, there is no other way to put it!

Final Score: Minnesota Wild 5 St. Louis Blues 1

Stat Recap:
#ItsAboutWinning:
Scorers:
J. Eriksson Ek 1 goal 1 assist 3 shots +2
J. Greenway 1 goal 3 shots +2
K. Kaprizov 1 goal 1 assist 4 shots +2
M. Zuccarello 1 goal 2 shots +3
J. Brodin 1 goal 2 shots +3
M. Foligno 2 assist +2
R. Hartman 2 assists 2 shots +2
J. Spurgeon 1 assist 1 shot +2
Goalie:
M. Fleury 29 saves 1 goal allowed 96.7 SV%

Game Recap:
Minnesota came out of the locker room ready to play and face the St. Louis crowd. Jordan Greenway came down on a broken play and scored only 39 seconds into the game! That set the tone for Minnesota for most of the game. About 2 minutes later, Kirill Kaprizov comes down the ice on a breakaway and misses the initially shot, but proceeds to ping pong the puck off Blues goalie Husso's skate into the net for the second goal of the night! 
The Wild coasted to the end of the period. In the 2nd period the Wild scored about halfway thorugh when Mats Zuccarello found the back of the net from a good distance out. In the 3rd period the Wild came out ready to put this thing in the books. Joel Eriksson Ek added to his playoff tally as he scored 22 seconds in the period. Not too long later the Blues finally etched the 0 off the board and scored on a power play. Jonas Brodin put the icing on the cake 12 minutes into the period and concluded the scoring for the night. Both teams more or less coasted to the finish after that and the Wild claimed victory with a 5-1 advantage! 

This is Minnesota's first series lead of the 2022 playoffs, and it is a good one. This puts the Wild in an undeniably good position heading into Game 4, and even Game 5. Obviously their goal will be to take Game 4 as well and head back to St. Paul at series point.

Injury Report
Everyone played for Minnesota again.

Up Next 
The series will stay in St. Louis for Game 4. It starts on Sunday, May 8th at 3:30 PM and will be broadcast on TBS and BSN. 

Go Wild!! #ItsAboutWinning

The Minnesota Wild responded to the call on Wednesday night as they beat the St. Louis Blues to tie the series at 1 game apiece!

Final Score: St. Louis Blues 2 Minnesota Wild 6

Stat Recap:
#ItsAboutWinning:
Scorers:
K. Kaprizov  3 goals 5 shots +2 
J. Eriksson Ek  2 goals 4 shots 1 assist +3
F. Gaudreau  1 goal 1 shot +-0
J. Greenway 1 assist +1
R. Hartman 2 assists +0
M. Zuccarello  2 assists 1 shot +0
Goalie:
M. Fleury  34 saves 2 goals allowed 94.1% SV

Game Recap:
Minnesota came out of the gate ready to answer the call tonight. The first goal came 9:33 into the first period and got Minnesota going. Joel Eriksson Ek had that goal. Minnesota got on the board again with Frederick Gaudreau's power play goal that made it 2-0. It was also Minnesota's first power play goal of the playoffs after going 0-6 in Game 1. The Wild scored once more in the 1st period with Kirill Kaprizov's first of the night on another power play. Minnesota looked so dominant like they did in the regular season.
To start the 2nd period, the Joel Eriksson Ek scored his 2nd goal of the game on a breakaway. Not much scoring happened until the Blues got on the board with Jordan Kyrou's power play goal. The rest of the period was largely quiet. 
In the 3rd period, it got tense after a little bit. When Vladimir Tarasenko scored his only goal of the game, it trimmed Minnesota's lead to 4-2. However, Kaprizov had more to say about that when he scored 11:47 into the 3rd and then again at 12:52 for his first career playoff hat trick! 

Minnesota responded to the call on Wednesday, both the crowd and the team. The Wild didn't look like themselves on Monday, and it was more apparent on Wednesday when it seemed like they couldn't stop scoring! There was even a goal called back before Kaprizov's 3rd goal that would have been Eriksson Ek's 3rd goal. The Wild needed a game like this to remind them of who they are. This team can dominate, and when they do they are unstoppable. This is also the first time they have beat St. Louis this season, which is weird. Its still a long way to winning the series, hell its only tied right now. But this could go a long way with the Wild's confidence.

Injury Report
Marcus Foligno continues to deal with his knee injury but played a full game on Wednesday night. No one else is listed on the report.

Up Next
Now the series shifts over to St. Louis where the teams will play Games 3 and 4. Game 3 begins on Friday (5/6) at 8:30 PM and will be broadcast on TNT and BSN.

Go Wild!! #ItsAboutWinning

Same story different year for Wild vs. Blues playoff series. Not quite sure why the Wild can never figure this team out.

Final Score: St. Louis Blues 4 Minnesota Wild 0

Statcap:
Minnesota:
Top Players:
J. Eriksson Ek 5 shots
K. Kaprizov 5 shots
M. Dumba 4 shots
M. Fleury 31 saves 0.871 save%

Game Recap:
Minnesota came out of the gate extremely jumpy. It seemed they were riding the wave of the excitement in the building so much that they couldn't focus. Before they knew it they were down 2-0. While Fleury was able to pick up the pieces initially, he couldn't stop everything forever. Minnesota had 5 power play opportunities and were not able to capitalize on any of them. If they can't turn that around, they won't even come close to winning this series. Especially since the Blues are the 2nd best team in the league in capitalizing on power plays.
The Wild had lots of shots but couldn't break the ice. It also didn't seem like they had an edge. They were kind of just running through the motions. 

Just a heads up, this will be a long series. This team is terrible against St. Louis and if history is any indicator, this team won't change. Until they prove me wrong, I expect this team to take a first round exit.

Injury Report
Ryan Hartman left the ice in the first period but came back later. Marcus Foligno played today after dealing with a knee issue lately.

Up Next
Minnesota will try to even the series when Game 2 starts on Wednesday at 8:30 PM again at Xcel Energy Center. It will be broadcast on ESPN and BSN.

Go Wild!